A Life Yet Lived
by EccentricChimera
Summary: One day, Tomas Rowan woke up as an Umbreon, with no memory of his past. As he stumbles through a world unfamiliar to himself, he must learn to adapt to life as a Pokemon, and find out the sinister secret behind his transformation, before it is too late.
1. Prologue

**(AS OF 4/5/13)**

**A Special Note from the Author:**

Okay, while I've been working to complete a new chapter, I also went back and reworked the first three chapters a bit. You will notice a couple of changes in the story as you read it, as I found a better ways to describe certain scenes in the plot. Sorry for the huge delay!

And here's a disclaimer:

Pokemon and all subsequent copyrights are property of Nintendo. Any and all original characters belong to me, and that's a fact! Also, this is purely a work of fiction, so any similarity to real persons or events is entirely coincidence. Please Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>-Opening Thoughts-<strong>

The world was a much simpler place back then.

I…understand that things should be clearer than they are now…and yet, I am unable to put the pieces back together. It's like a crude puzzle that is seemingly impossible to solve.

Yeah, that's a good analogy.

Like a puzzle with missing pieces.

Maybe I need only to examine these pieces once more. I still believe that I will be able to make sense of this if I try to remember everything that transpired. At the very least, I have to make certain that I have gathered all of the facts.

I have to make sure that this is really happening.

I have to make sure that I exist.

-From the journal of Dr. Jonathan Silverstone, Pokemon Geneticist

* * *

><p><strong>-Prologue-<strong>

The sound of fingernails tapping on wood shook him from his thoughts, echoing through the room steadily like a somber heartbeat. He slowly opened his eyes, staring aimlessly into the darkness before focusing on the only light sources he could make out: a small lamp and a laptop computer which sat on a wooden desk on the opposite side of the room.

Tomas' eyes drifted from the open laptop on the desk to the lady sitting in front of it, and he fought to swallow the building lump in his throat. She just sat there, studying the computer screen and feigning interest in whatever was displayed. However, Tomas knew better, and so he remained in the shadows at the far corner of the room, pretending to be deep in thought.

In truth, despite everything that he'd been though, Tomas had been given plenty of time to think before this. And still, after all that time, he couldn't come up with even a partially plausible explanation. He had racked his brain time and time again in search of an answer, struggling to decipher truth from all the lies, contemplating the very _impossibility_ of his situation, until he got a headache from thinking so much. So for now, he just sat there in the darkness, staring at nothing in particular, thinking of nothing in particular, and enjoying the peace of mind.

Even while only feigning deep thought, it still took him several minutes to notice her staring at him. Or trying to, at least. She couldn't see in the dark, and could just barely make out a rough silhouette while squinting. Still, even that was more than enough to pique her interest about her latest "subject."

She peered into the darkness at the far corner of the room, straining to make out Tomas' shadowed form, hunched over in what she could only assume was silent reflection. It was fairly obvious that he wasn't going to be the first to speak up. In fact, if not for the occasional sound of shuffling coming from the darkness, she may have even thought that he had simply fallen asleep.

She quickened the pace of her nails tapping on the desk, hoping to wake him up. When he remained unresponsive, she spun her seat in his direction and crossed her arms, finally letting out an impatient sigh.

"So, Tom? What's it going to be?" she asked, gesturing towards the laptop, "Are you going to do this today, or not?"

Tomas remained silent, looking away from her scrutinizing gaze. Even when he wasn't staring right at her, he could still almost _feel_ her watching him, studying him like he was her latest science project fresh off the Petri dish. He had come to despise that look. It made his decision even harder, painfully obvious as it was.

He shuffled uncomfortably in his dark little corner, earnestly wishing that he could just remain within the comforting grasp of those shadows. Of course, he knew that there was no choice in the matter. People needed to know what happened. And if things…ended unfavorably, then this would be his one and only chance to tell the story.

In other words, he had no other option but to swallow his pride and move forward. He fought back the rising lump in his throat again, and then sat up. "Okay," he muttered under his breath, "I'll do it."

"What's that?" the lady teased, hand cupped over an ear, "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the sound of _paint peeling on the wall_! Speak up, please."

"I said I'll do it!" Tomas choked out, "You don't have to act like that!"

"And why not?" she replied with a caustic chuckle, "I seem to remember _someone _who acted just like that not too long ago. Tell me, just how many years ago was it that I met you?"

She heard a derisive snort from the darkness.

"Very funny, Wiles," Tomas retorted, "I'm glad that at least _somebody_ here is having a good time at my expense."

The woman smiled and pulled open a small drawer to her wooden desk. "Much better, Tom. Sarcasm suits you better than self pity. Now, we can get started…but first, I need you to come a little closer."

"What?"

"You heard me. Come into the light." She motioned for him to come closer with one hand, and then turned the knob on the desk lamp with the other. In an instant, the dark room was flooded with a bright light, chasing away the clutching shadows that Tomas had taken refuge in. The woman blinked several times, rubbed her eyes, and then scanned the room for her newest subject. It wouldn't be very difficult to spot him. There weren't a lot of places in the room where he could actually hide.

So it didn't take her but a few seconds to notice the small Umbreon crouched on the floor in the far corner of the room, shielding its eyes with a paw.

"Hey, that's too bright!" it cried out, turning away from her, "You should warn me next time!"

"I apologize, Tom," she replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Now, if you don't mind..."

Tomas stood up on dark-furred paws and slowly padded his way across the room. Until now, he hadn't realized just how stark and dilapidated this room actually was. Aside from the wooden desk and chair, and a single sleeping bag, the room seemed to be completely empty. Well, unless he counted the dust piles and cobwebs, and maybe that huge hole in the wall big enough for a Rattata to crawl through. In fact, a Rattata probably made it.

The floorboards creaked under his weight as he trotted over to the desk, head down-turned and cheeks burning in embarrassment. It wasn't the first time the he'd felt the weight of other people's judging eyes, and he knew that it probably wouldn't be the last.

Still, it had been a while since he had felt quite so…vulnerable and open. Maybe it was because of the story that he had to tell. Or maybe it was because Dr. Wiles actually knew him before…

He sat down on the floor next to her seat and looked away with a huff, feeling his cheeks burn again. Dr. Wiles produced a clipboard and pen from the drawer, and then glanced down at Tomas before turning her gaze to the computer, smiling triumphantly.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You look cute."

"Let's just get this over with…" he muttered, distractedly pulling at a tuft of black fur on the tip of his tail with a paw, "…if you don't mind."

"Okay, then," she said, holding the clipboard up, "Full name, age, species, and place of birth, please."

Tomas looked down at his paws, and sighed. "My name is Tomas Rowan, I'm 28 years old, and I was born in Mossdeep City, in the Honen region."

Dr. Wiles took notes on her clipboard in silence, and the sound of pencil scratching on paper echoed through the unfurnished room for several seconds before stopping abruptly. Tomas was busying himself pulling at that tuft of fur on his tail when he heard her clearing her throat.

"You're really going to make me ask the question again, aren't you?"

"What?"

"Species? You didn't answer that part."

"Well, I _thought_ it was obvious," Tomas said, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "I mean, I kind of look like an Umbreon, so I figured that it-"

"No, that's not what I meant," she replied flatly, "I meant, what species do you _think_ you are?"

The Pokemon fell silent.

"I mean, sure, you _look_ like an Umbreon, but everything about you suggests different. Your posture, the way you act and talk, it's not something a normal Pokemon would do."

Tomas wrinkled his muzzle at the doctor. Why is she making this so difficult? Does she enjoy making him suffer like this?

What did he ever do to deserve this treatment?

Oh…right. Damn it all.

"Tomas?"

"You're playing with me, aren't you?" the Umbreon muttered, shooting a bitter look at the Doctor before turning away again. "I'm not an idiot, Wiles. I can tell when someone is mocking me."

"This is being recorded on my laptop," she replied, running her fingers through dirty blond hair, "in case you didn't realize. I need you to tell me yourself, as part of my scientific data. It's a requirement. Now, start over."

Tomas fought down the urge to throw another sarcastic remark her way, and took a deep breath. It had to be done, even if he didn't like it. _Especially_ if hedidn't like it.

"My name is Tomas Rowan, I'm 28 years old, and I was born in Mossdeep City, in the Honen region."

He took in another deep breath before continuing.

"And I am, or used to be, a human."

"Good," Dr. Wiles said, crossing her arms again, "Thank you. I realize that it couldn't have been easy to talk about that, especially after everything you've been though."

Tomas stared blankly at her. Wait, was that sympathy? Real, _genuine_ sympathy?

Maybe she's not so cold and unfeeling after all…

Unfortunately, that meager show of emotion didn't last long, and Dr. Wiles was back to business as usual in seconds. She had returned to her laptop, busy typing something. Tomas couldn't see what she was doing from his less-than-advantageous view on the floor, and it only made him nervous. He hated not knowing what was happening, especially when it involved other people's opinions of him!

The next few minutes went by without a word. Tomas wanted to say something, anything, to break the silence and calm his nerves. And he was just about speak when Dr. Wiles beat him to it.

"Okay, it's time."

Tomas looked up into her bright, curious eyes, gleaming with an interest that scared him far more than he ever dared to admit. She leaned closer in her seat, hands on her thighs, and smiled.

"Now, tell me everything that happened."


	2. Chapter 1: A Rude Awakening  Part 1

**-Chapter 1: A Rude Awakening-**

**Part 1**

-7 MONTHS EARLIER-

"How is he?"

"The subject is stable. I believe that the experiment was successful, doctor."

"Keep an eye on him, Crayton. Make sure that his vitals stay that way."

Tomas awoke to a world surrounded by darkness. He couldn't see, couldn't speak, and couldn't move at all. He felt numb, floating in a murky void, with only the muffled sounds of conversation to keep him conscious. Where was he? What's happening?

He began to panic when he heard the voices speak up again.

"Let's finish the process, Crayton. Begin the Secondary Imbuement Procedure."

"Yes, sir. Preparing to inject the IV sedative."

'_A sedative?' _Tomas thought with growing anxiety, _'What's happening? What are they doing to me?'_

He struggled to move. A limb, an eyelash, anything. Nothing worked. He couldn't even _feel_ any of his limbs, assuming that they were still there to begin with. Whatever was happening, one thing was certain: he was utterly at their mercy. Tomas felt himself slip back into unconsciousness, almost as if sinking into a thick, dismal slime. Distant words reached his ears before he went under completely.

"Sorry, Tomas. If only you knew just how importa…"

* * *

><p><strong>Tomas <strong>awoke to the thick scent of grass and moss. It almost stung his nose, like sleeping in a bed covered with soggy mildew, and he instinctively shook his head in an attempt to be rid of the smell.

'_Great…just like home,'_ he thought bitterly. His eyelids felt heavy, still weighed down with a lingering drowsiness that made every movement an arduous task in itself. It took Tomas another minute or two just to force his eyelids open. It took all of two seconds to quickly snap them shut again, to block out the painful light shining in his face.

"D…damn it!" Tomas yelped, bringing a hand over his face to shield his eyes. Except, that's not actually what he heard himself say. He froze, and then spoke again.

"Umbre, um, umbreon!"

What the hell? Was he still dreaming?

"Um, reon!"

He forced his trembling eyelids open again, and held them open until his eyes finally adjusted to the light. The first thing he noticed was the short, black snout reaching from just below his eyes, tapered to a small tip several inches in front of his face. Still a bit dazed, he slowly lifted his eyes up to the hand that was still shielding his face…only, it wasn't exactly a hand. It looked more like a paw. Covered with dark fur.

"Umbreon?"

He moved it back and forth experimentally, flexing the "fingers" on the paw. It was definitely his paw all right. But, how was that possible?

"Um..."

'_Oh, wait,'_ Tomas thought, _'I think I'm…dreaming. Yeah, that's got to be it.'_ Obviously, it had to be one of those "lucid dreams" that he had read about in…wait…

…where _did_ he read about it, and when did he read it? Tomas couldn't remember. In fact, he couldn't remember a lot of stuff at the moment.

'_What a weird dream.'_ He got to his feet, groggy and a little bit nauseous, and took stock of himself. Sure enough, his whole body seemed to be covered in that same thick, dark fur that he saw on his hand. Or was it a paw, now? Actually, did it really even matter in a dream? Tomas scoffed at the thought.

'_Well, this is a little different…'_ Tomas paused in his thoughts as he turned a paw over, studying the soft, pink padding underneath, _'…but, since I'm already here, I might as well take a look around. See where this dream is going.'_

He sat up on his haunches, and slowly took in his environment. He was in a forest it seemed, but not one that he recognized. Tall oak trees surrounded him, dotting a landscape that was covered with vibrant grass and flowers that swayed in a soft wind. Neatly trimmed bushes lined the sides of a nearby dirt path which led to what Tomas assumed was a lake in the distance. It was difficult to see from his position in the clearing, but he could make out a shimmering light that assaulted his eyes from that direction. Golden rays of sunlight shone from between thick bunches of leaves in the trees, agitating his sensitive eyes further. The chirps and tweets of various flying Pokemon filled the air above him, mingling with the buzzing and clicks from a few insect Pokemon that were wandering the area as well.

"Turt! Twig!"

Tomas almost leapt out of his skin as a Turtwig scurried past him and disappeared behind a nearby bush, a cheerful expression on its face. Instead, he jolted backward with a surprised yelp, stumbling over his own paws and landing hard on his butt, tail twitching anxiously behind him.

"Holy crap!" he blurted out, heart pounding from the sudden fright, "W-was that a Turtwig? That thing's almost as big as me!"

Tomas was almost about to yell after it when he froze in place, eyes widening as he realized that he had actually understood what it had said: "Good morning!"

It was a strange, new awareness that washed over him. What he _understood_ and what he actually _heard_ seemed to be entirely different…and yet, something clicked in the back of his mind. Somehow, without even thinking about it, he was able to grasp the Turtwig's strange and abrupt greeting. But, how was _that_ possible?

He blinked twice, and shook his head again. "Am…am I still dreaming?"

"Not as far as I can tell," a shrill voice said from behind him, "Were you hit by a Confuse Ray or something?"

The Umbreon spun around, only to be greeted by the smiling muzzle of a Cyndaquil.

"Good morning! Feeling better, mister?" it inquired with a high pitch, but decidedly female voice.

Tomas could do nothing but stare at her, wide eyed and completely dumbfounded. _'What the-! Where did she come from? And…how long was she just sitting there…watching me?!_'

His thoughts were abruptly brushed aside once the Cyndaquil's words finally sunk in. "W…wait a minute! _Mister_? I'm not that old!"

"Sorry, force of habit," she replied with a shrug, "Um, do you have a name, or should I call you Umbreon?"

"Just call me…Tomas," he blurted out. Of course, with chunks of his memory missing, he wasn't even certain that his name was actually 'Tomas.' But, since it _was_ the first name that popped into his head, he decided not to question it.

"That's a good name!" she said with a happy squeal, "And you can call me Cyndaquil!"

'_Wow, that's…unique,'_ Tomas thought, heavy with sarcasm. Normally, he wouldn't even bother to contain his opinions from others like this, but there was something different here. Maybe it had something to do with her kind nature and genuine worry for him. Or, maybe it had something to do with the fact that her _back was on fire_!

A fire-type Pokemon, obviously.

Well, real or not, taking an Ember attack to the face wasn't on Tomas' list of enjoyable dream scenarios, so he kept his big mouth shut.

After studying the Umbreon for a moment, Cyndaquil moved a few steps closer and placed a warm paw on his muzzle, jarring him from his thoughts. "You look kinda' sick. Maybe you should get a drink of water."

Tomas blinked, then looked at the Cyndaquil. "Uh, y…yeah. Maybe some water will help me wake up."

"Well, there's a lake at the end of that path. Follow me!"

Tomas watched her happily trot away, and then stared down at his own paws. _'Come to think of it, I hadn't even tried to walk with these things since this dream started.' _He lifted one forepaw into the air carefully, hesitant to move._ 'How did they work again? One paw in front of the other, right?_'

Well, it certainly sounded simple enough.

Unsteadily, he placed the forepaw onto a patch of grass directly in front of him, and then reached out with the other. It felt unnatural in a way, balancing his body's weight on such thin, lithe limbs. He pushed forward, overcompensating the momentum needed on his hind legs, and stumbled over his own paws, falling into a heap on the ground. Cyndaquil was already several meters away when she heard a soft thud and a curse. She looked back and found Tomas lying on his side, legs flailing wildly, struggling to get upright again.

"Uh, a little help, here!"

"Wow, you were out longer than I thought," Cyndaquil murmured, a tinge of worry coating her voice, "Are you sure you're okay? Do you need to go to the town?"

"The…town?"

"Yeah," Cyndaquil said, walking back to his side, "the humans there have something called a Pokemon Center. They can fix you up, no problem!"

"Y-yeah, sure," Tomas muttered half-heartedly, "Just help me up, please."

"Uh, there _is_ one little thing I should probably mention."

The Umbreon sighed. There's always a string attached, isn't there? Just his luck. "Which is?" he grumbled.

"I can't just _take_ you to the Pokemon Center. You have to go see my trainer first."

"And…?"

"And…" she continued, "…I can't really guarantee that he won't try to capture you. I mean, you are an unusual looking Pokemon, after all. Is your species even common to this area?"

"Area? Wait, where are we again?"

Cyndaquil furrowed her brow in confusion. "What? You mean _you_ don't know?"

"Nope. Not a clue," Tomas answered from the ground, "Now, if you could help me get-"

"Well…" Cyndaquil interrupted, absently scratching her head with a paw, "I'm not entirely sure myself, but I did overhear my trainer talking about 'Sinnoa' or something."

"Sinnoa? Oh, you mean _Sinnoh_?"

"Yeah!" she exclaimed happily, "That place!"

"Well, I don't think Umbreon are all that common in Sinnoh," Tomas said, "so I guess it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense for an Umbreon to be seen in this area. But…logic doesn't _really_ matter here, since this is a dream." Then he rolled back onto his paws and glanced around. "Come on, let's go find this trainer of yours. Might as well see what happens next."

Cyndaquil stared while Tomas clumsily padded away, taking each step as if the ground were made of broken glass. He stumbled twice, but managed to stay upright this time. She scratched her head again, puzzled by his words. "Uh…dream? What dream?"

"This dream, right here!" he called back to her before stumbling again. "Agh!"

"Uh…yeah…I think you really _do_ need to get checked out, Tomas!" she replied as she began to walk after him, "And you're going the wrong way!"

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to Tomas, a strange observer had been watching him from the trees. It fought the urge to burst out laughing when Tomas tumbled over, and then slinked into the shadows of a tree when Cyndaquil turned in its direction to look back at him. It couldn't afford to be seen, not yet. The plan was still underway, and discretion was key in these types of situations…<p>

…but still, that was _hilarious_!

"I am _definitely_ going to hold that one over Tomas' head when we meet!" the observer said with a sly giggle. "He hasn't changed a bit! I think this might just work out after all!"

And with that, the observer vanished with a small _POP_, off to put the next part of its master plan into motion.


	3. Chapter 1: A Rude Awakening  Part 2

**-Chapter 1: A Rude Awakening-**

**Part 2**

**Sara** had finally finished the first half of her round-trip tour of the Sinnoh region, and man, was she _worn out_! Her journey had taken her through practically ever major city in the area, along with several of the smaller towns and bordering islands. She had fought in every gym battle and participated in a number of Pokemon contests. She'd even visited the famous Fullmoon Island and caught a glimpse of Cresselia, a legendary Pokemon.

This, of course, was followed by six grueling hours of non-stop searching for Cresselia, in hopes of capturing it. At the time, Sara hadn't even considered what would have happened had she actually discovered Cresselia's location, let alone the end result of her small group battling a legendary Pokemon. That last bit of insight made her feel somewhat relieved that her search was fruitless.

The Old Chateau hadn't been much fun, either. She spent more time dealing with the ghost Pokemon and their mischievous tricks than actually looking for Rotom. In the end, she had to call off the search when her backpack levitated into the air above her, then flew out the second story window. Fortunately, none of her Pokeballs were inside the backpack at the time, but a sizable chunk of food was missing when she'd finally found it stuck in a tree the next day. When Sara angrily stomped away from the weathered old building, she could've sworn that she'd heard faint giggling echoing from one of its many windows.

Throughout her journey, there had certainly been more than a _few_ setbacks. Even so, Sara had still managed to get the complete Sinnoh experience. And now, she was about to do it all over again. She just needed a few days to relax and calm her nerves.

Thankfully, Twinleaf Town had developed enough over the past couple of years to have a decent Pokemon Center and a small hotel for traveling trainers. This came as a relief to Sara, because she couldn't bear the thought of sleeping in the "great outdoors" for another night. The last time she slept outside, a Chimchar had wandered by and thought it would be a good idea to _set her tent on fire_. While Sara and her Pokemon all managed to escape in time, her entire supply of food, her Pokedex, and most of her clothes weren't so lucky. Now _that_ was a long, miserable week.

Breaking from her thoughts, Sara trudged through the small town, waving politely at any passerby that happened to notice her. She didn't bother with words; it wasn't like she planned on being around for long. Not much point in making friends if she couldn't keep them, right?

Sara paused when she reached the front doors to the Pokemon Center. It was a small building, as she'd expected, completely whitewashed and clean with the exception of some jagged sketches of flowers and cheerful-looking Pokemon on the walls near the main entrance. Sara couldn't quite place some of the Pokemon in the pictures, but the dancing Pikachu and juggling Turtwig were easy enough to recognize.

"Oh, that's so cute," Sara thought aloud as she pushed open the front door and walked in, smiling inwardly.

The man behind the counter was completely caught up in a Pokemon battle playing on a portable television when she entered the main lobby. When she finally reached the counter, he didn't even notice her until she rung the bell sitting on the counter twice.

"Oh! Um, sorry, miss," he said, straightening up, "What can I do for you?"

"Uh, yeah. Can I get a room, please? I'm a trainer."

"No problem, ma'am. And how long will you be staying?"

"Just three days, sir," Sara answered politely, presenting her trainer ID. He accepted it with an equally polite smile, and checked her information on a computer. Being a veteran trainer, Sara was already very familiar with the whole check-in procedure. Fortunately for her, most Pokemon Centers were still doing the "free-room-for-trainers" policy, because she _hated_ the thought of having to sleep outside again.

"Okay, then," the man said as he continued his work, "Sara Tolson, age 19, Honen resident. And how many Pokemon do you currently have?"

"Just three, but I'm hoping to catch a Turtwig or something in this area."

"Sounds like a plan," the man commented, returning her ID card, "we got plenty of Turtwigs around here. Help yourself."

"Thanks, I will," Sara replied with a half-hearted smile. She thanked the man once more, and with a final courteous bow, left the Pokemon Center.

* * *

><p>Sara fell back on her bed, running fingers through thick brunette hair, and tried to calm herself down. Taking a deep breath, she rolled over and reached into her backpack, producing a small, silvery, rectangular container. The container held six badges, each one a well-earned symbol of the hardships that Sara had endured during her journey across the Sinnoh Region. They were both a constant reminder of battles that she'd fought and won, and visible proof of her strength as a trainer, even in spite of the glaringly malevolent hand that fate so often dealt her. However, even with her pride in the miniature trophies, Sara couldn't help but feel dissatisfied with her current progress in the region. And for good reason, too.<p>

'_Six…isn't enough,' _she thought with an audible huff, _'I still need two more._ _Without all eight badges, I won't be finished with my journey in Sinnoh.'_

It had probably been against her better judgment to move on to the next town after her defeat in the Veilstone City gym at the hands of Maylene. At the time, she had simply reasoned that she could make another attempt on her return trip through Sinnoh. And when it happened again with Roark in Oreburgh City, she had thought the same thing. It had seemed so easy to make those promises back then…

…but, now it was finally time to make that return trip.

"Argh!" Sara cried out, rubbing her eyes in frustration, "They'll probably kick our butts _again_ the next time we face them!" Sulking, she retrieved a Pokeball from her belt and tossed it to the ground. "Jane, come out! I need to talk to you!"

In a flash of light, a Typhlosion appeared in front of the bed, looking almost puzzled by its sudden emergence. It took a quick glance around to figure out where it was, and then walked around the bed to Sara's side, a wide grin on its face. "Typhlosion!"

"Hey, Jane. How's everything?"

"Ty, Ty. Phlos?"

"I'm doing good. Just feeling a bit down."

Jane placed a gentle paw on Sara's forehead worriedly. "Typhlos?"

"No, I'm not sick. It's just…we're going to have to face those two gym leaders again, and I-"

"Typhlosion! Ty!" Jane replied, gesturing toward the door with a paw, "Phlosion!"

"Guess we do need to get out and train, right, Jane?"

"Ty."

Jane placed a paw on Sara's head again, covering her eyes this time. "Ty pho, Ty."

"I'm not going to be able to sleep right now, Jane. My nerves are shot."

"Typlos, _Phlos_. Ty."

"Okay, fine," Sara said with a huff, "We'll go out, then."

Sara rolled herself out of bed, put on her shoes and jacket, and tightened her belt, giving each Pokeball an affectionate touch. Then the young trainer walked to the door with the Typhlosion at her side, tipping her cap down before reaching for the doorknob. She absolutely hated it when people saw her face. Sara's deep hazel eyes in particular gave her far more attention than she ever wanted, and worrying about others watching her would only serve as a distraction.

If she couldn't sleep, then she might as well move on to the next step in the plan. It was time to add to her family.

"Come on, Jane," she said with a grin, "Let's go catch some new teammates."

"Typhlosion!"

* * *

><p><strong>Cyndaquil <strong>trotted down the dirt path without a word, Tomas close on her heels. They were still a good distance away from their destination, but she figured that it wouldn't take very long to walk to the rest area just outside town, where her master's campsite stood. This forest wasn't even close to the size of the one she was born in, and compared to the long, arduous journeys she had to make in her youth, this was nothing more than a brisk walk. In fact, the trees bordering the clearing where her master had set up camp was already starting to come into view.

'_Just wait 'til he sees what I brought him this time,' _she thought with glee, _'A real live Umbreon!'_

"Whoa! Watch out!" Tomas yelled out from behind her, "I almost fell over again!"

Cyndaquil was all too excited to see Todd's reaction. Grinning, she imagined the stunned expression on his face as she came sauntering out ofthe forest with this new Pokemon in tow, beaming with pride. And once Todd met her new friend, she just _knew_ that he would welcome the Umbreon with open arms. If there was anyone she could trust to help Tomas with his problems, it would be her master. No doubt about it.

After all, he had saved _her_ when she was in trouble that one time…

Of course, in the mean time, she would just have to focus on keeping this strange Pokemon in one piece. He did seem a bit out of sorts when she'd first discovered him passed out under a tree, muttering to himself. Even asleep, he looked almost…terrified. Then, he kept talking about dreams even _after_ waking up.

Every odd detail about him seemed to add one more question to her growing list. Like, example, did he _really_ believe that he was still sleeping?

And, what could have happened to make him like this? Did he also have a trainer? If he did, then that would at least explain how he ended up in the forest, especially considering that, like her, he didn't seem to be native to this land, this "Sinnoh."

'_Maybe his trainer brought him out here and abandoned him in the forest!'_ Cyndaquil wrinkled her muzzle at the very idea. _'A trainer abandoning their Pokemon! What kind of horrid person would do such a thing? No wonder he's so confused and depressed!'_

She shot a glance back at the Umbreon, who was still struggling to keep his balance. His gait was stiff and awkward, each step made with obvious apprehension. It almost looked like the poor thing had never even walked on his own paws before.

'_I should try to comfort him,'_ Cyndaquil thought sadly. It just wouldn't do if he tried something stupid or suicidal before they reached Todd. So, she decided that it would be up to her to keep Tomas' spirits high during his time of need. She picked out her words of encouragement carefully, and then opened her mouth to speak.

Tomas spoke up first.

"Cyndaquil? I…have a question."

"Uh, yes?"

Tomas stumbled next to her and stared intently at her face. Cyndaquil glanced back, a quizzical look crossing her face. Why was he looking at her like that, with those piercing red eyes?

He leaned in closer, eyebrows furrowed. "Cyndaquil…uh…"

'_That's…a little close!' _she thought with a slight squeal, glancing away, _'…it's kinda embarrassing!' _Wait, was she blushing? That's even more embarrassing! What was he…

"…do all Cyndaquil have squinty eyes like that, or is that a condition that only _you_ were born with?"

She stopped in her tracks, then turned to stare at the Umbreon.

"I'm sorry," he added quickly, "I'm just curious to know."

'_Okay, so maybe he isn't very depressed after all. But he's still confused. Very, very confused.' _Cyndaquil gave a small chuckle at the thought and kept walking. "You know, you're kinda weird, Tomas."

"I've been told that before, I think," he replied, walking after her, "Okay, another question. You showed up right after I started this dream, right?"

"Dream? Are you-"

"Wait, let me rephrase that," Tomas interrupted with a jaded sigh, "Were you watching me while I was…'asleep,' or did you find me after I…'woke up?'"

She stopped and looked at him. "Well, to be honest, I did find you a little while before you woke up. From the way you were rolling around, I'd thought that you had been injured or something. I was kinda' worried, and it didn't seem right to just leave you there by yourself, so I kept an eye on you until you woke up."

Surprised, Tomas looked at her, and then down at the ground. "Really? I…"

A broad smile spread across Cyndaquil's face, and she added, "…but then _you_ just woke up all of a sudden and starting lookin' around, talking to yourself! Kind of ungrateful, if you ask me! And you didn't even _notice_ me-"

"Okay, okay! I got the message," Tomas replied with a laugh, "Thanks for the help."

"It's no problem, really. You know, I-" Cyndaquil stopped when she heard a branch snap somewhere behind her.

And then, they both froze when they heard a low growl rumble from the path behind them.

* * *

><p><strong>Sara <strong>stood on the outskirts of the small town, stretching her legs. She knew that it was important to be good and limber before wandering into a forest she had never visited before. It was one of the very first lessons she learned after years of being chased down by vicious, blood-thirsty beasts in the wilderness: a cramped leg made it significantly harder to avoid being torn to shreds.

And with her horrible luck, she was probably going to need a quick escape.

'_Maybe they don't like the smell of my deodorant,' _Sara thought as she warmed up, '_I guess I should try a different brand.' _She turned to her Typhlosion, who was also stretching a few feet away. "Are you about ready, Jane?"

"Ty!"

"Okay, then! We're off on another journey, just you and me! Let's catch a new friend!"

"Typhlosion!"


	4. Chapter 2: A Captive of Confusion

**-Chapter 2: A Captive of Confusion -**

**Tomas** couldn't believe what was happening to him. Just when he'd thought that things couldn't possibly get any more confusing in this bizarre fantasy, something much, much worse had shown up.

This strange dream of his was quickly becoming a nightmare.

The Houndoom crouched low in the grass, its sharp eyes darting back and forth between the two startled Pokemon before finally settling on Tomas. It growled again, louder this time, and tilted its head downward, curved horns primed like a bull preparing to maul some hapless slob to death.

'_Oh, great. Looks like I'm that hapless slob,'_ Tomas thought, feeling sullen again. _'How lucky for me.'_

"Ah, Houndoom!" Cyndaquil spoke up, nervous at first. "Y…you…what are you doing here?"

"So…uh, one of your friends?" Tomas whispered anxiously, leaning closer to her.

"If, by 'friend,' you mean that I'm utterly _terrified_ of him…then yes."

The Houndoom padded around the bushes and onto the dirt path, snarling at the small Umbreon. Even from a distance, it seemed to loom dangerously over Tomas, an air of peril clinging to it like a bitter scent. The horned beast was at least three times the Umbreon's size, and it wasn't very difficult to imagine a Pokemon with that much of a size difference viewing him as its next meal.

Tomas took several steps back, eyes widened in a mix of surprise and fear.

"This has nothing to do with you, Cyndaquil!" Houndoom growled, "I'm here for the Umbreon."

Cyndaquil moved to the Umbreon's side, forepaws spread out in a defensive gesture. "What do you want with Tomas? He's with me!"

"Uh, hey there," Tomas said, taking another step backward, "N…nice Houndoom…good boy! I don't want any trouble here."

At that, Houndoom took a heavy step forward, baring his fangs. "Is that supposed to be some kind of joke, you little runt? Are you mocking me?"

"What? I-"

"Only my master talks to me like that! What, you think you're _my_ master, now? Well, speak up, you worthless sack of fluff!"

Even Cyndaquil winced at Houndoom's last remark, and she inched a bit closer to the recoiling Umbreon.

'_Crap!' _Tomas thought as he stood frozen, heart pounding in his chest, _'I forgot that I'm a Pokemon too in this dream! Not good!'_

"N..no!" he corrected quickly, "I didn't mean it like that!"

"Shut _down_! You're coming with me, right now!"

"Wait, you don't-" Tomas froze, and then stared incredulously at the Houndoom, who still seemed to be completely serious. "S…shut…down?"

Houndoom snorted at the Umbreon in disdain. "Yeah! It means stop talking! What, are you too _stupid_ to understand what I'm saying? Do you see me talking? It means _you_ do the opposite!"

'_Well, uh…okay then…'_ Tomas thought, trying hard to keep a straight face, _'…This Houndoom…might be an idiot.' _Despite his own cynical impulses, Tomas already knew that the best course of action for a dangerous situation like this was to simply _let it go_…but still…

Tomas caught a glimpse of Cyndaquil out the corner of his eye, glaring at him and vigorously shaking her head, face laden with worry. Every single warning bell in his mind was going off, yelling at him to just keep his mouth shut. But _still_…

…that Houndoom did just insult him. Several times, in fact. Shouldn't he have the right to get a word or two in as well? After taking a moment to study the vicious, snarling beast that now stood before him, Tomas quickly answered his own question with a resounding _no_. Dream or not, he would have to let this one slide.

Unfortunately, before he knew what was happening, those cynical impulses kicked in.

"Uh, I think you got that phrase wrong," Tomas blurted out, "You're supposed to say '_shut up_.'"

For a few seconds, there was a brief silence throughout the entire area, followed by the muffled sound of Cyndaquil slapping her own forehead in exasperation. Houndoom just stared at Tomas, a look of genuine surprise crossing his face. "What, really?"

Sensing that small hint of weakness in the Houndoom, Tomas just couldn't help himself. He chuckled inwardly, and continued tempting fate. "Oh, you mean you didn't know? Wow, for someone who likes calling other people stupid, you're pretty dim yourself! Tell me, were you dropped on your head as a baby, or do those giant horns suck all the nutrients from your brain?!"

Cyndaquil gasped, paws clasped over her mouth while Houndoom looked at Tomas with both eyebrows raised, apparently still digesting that last comment. It was only a few seconds later that a vicious howl tore from his muzzle, and Houndoom crouched into a battle stance, ready to rip apart the little Umbreon that had insulted him.

Tomas had never seen a Pokemon actually tremble with rage before. He could only hear unintelligible growls and whines coming from the between Houndoom's clenched fangs. Smoke was literally streaming from his nostrils, filling the air with the horrid smell of ash and molten rock. And, strangely enough, while some part of his mind was screaming at him to run away, to escape the horrible monster that he'd so blatantly enraged, Tomas couldn't help but find the whole ordeal somewhat…hilarious.

'_Wow, I really messed up this time,'_ Tomas thought, taking another hesitant step back, _'But, still…this is a dream, isn't it? I can't possibly be in any real danger, right?' _

Cyndaquil ran in front of Tomas and began shoving him away from the fuming Pokemon. "Uh, Tomas…I think you'd better…um, _run_! I'll try to distract him!"

"Why? This _is_ just a dream, after all, so-"

"Tomas, please! Just run!"

"O-okay, I'm going!" Tomas turned tail and dashed full speed down the dirt path, hoping that his paws wouldn't fail him this time. That tiny hope was shattered when he tripped over a stray fallen branch and tumbled into a heap on the ground again.

"Damn it!" Tomas cried out, scrambling to get back upright. He froze as a searing heat passed over his tail and back, making his skin crawl beneath his fur. For several seconds, Tomas wasn't entirely sure what was happening, until he saw a literal _volley_ of flaming rock and ash sail over his head, scorching the thin fur around his long ears. The smoldering mass continued above the dirt trail ahead of him for several feet before exploding against an unfortunate tree, sending splinters and chunks of timber in all directions.

Time almost seemed to halt while Tomas stared, mouth agape, at the large crater that was left in the smoking tree trunk. "W…what?"

'_That was…Ember, wasn't it?' _he thought, shaken._ 'Did…did that Houndoom just try to kill me?'_ Tomas made an uneasy glance over his shoulder at the Houndoom, who was still glaring at him ferociously, smoke pouring from his muzzle._ 'Yeah, that sounds about right. If I hadn't tripped and fallen over right at that moment, that crater could've been me!' _

The mere thought of it sent a shiver down the Umbreon's spine. And that intense heat from the Ember attack…it almost felt…he could've sworn that it felt…

…that it felt…_real_!

But, it couldn't be real…could it?

Tomas tried to calm himself down as the world seemed to spin around him. He didn't know what was happening here, but one thing was certain: he wasn't sticking around long enough to find out. He struggled back onto his paws, and then broke into a frenzied dash down the dirt path towards the town. _'This has to be a dream!'_

"Get back here, you stupid little runt!" Houndoom roared as he gave chase, "GET BACK HERE!"

Cyndaquil stood there dumbfounded, watching as the two Pokemon sped off into the distance and out of sight, choking on the swirling dust cloud they left behind.

"Well," she muttered between hacking coughs, "that could've gone better."

* * *

><p><strong>Sara<strong> leaned against a tall oak tree and wiped her brow with a thick auburn handkerchief.

"This…isn't going our way, is it?"

Jane took a weary glance around the forest before replying with a sullen, "Ty."

Sara had long since become accustomed to being generally unlucky, but this latest setback was utterly _ridiculous_. She'd been wandering through the forest surrounding Twinleaf Town for the past 30 minutes in hopes that a Pokemon-at least one-would show up around her. Not a single one appeared. This, of course, was made worse by the fact that she could still _hear_ the various chirps, clicks, and calls of Pokemon that were nearby. Those sounds hadn't ceased for a single second since Sara took her first step in this horrible little forest!

It almost seemed like all of the Pokemon in the immediate area were actively _trying_ to avoid her.

…but, why would they want to do that?

'_Maybe they heard about how unlucky I am,'_ Sara thought, frowning, _'I'd avoid me, too.'_

She pushed off the tree she'd been leaning against and walked to the middle of the dirt path, brushing the dust from her jeans. Surprisingly, the dusty trail wasn't nearly as direct as she'd imagined. It seemed to twist and turn through the forest, around trees and large overlaying rocks. The path itself was wide enough to allow several people and their Pokemon to walk side-by-side comfortably, and was lined with thick, neatly trimmed bushes that, more than likely, had been planted by hand.

"Okay, this path should be a straight shot between the lake and the town…" Sara sighed before continuing, "…so let's head to the lake next. If we don't find anything over there, then we'll just have to-"

"Turt! Twig!"

Sara almost jumped out of her skin when a Turtwig scrambled around her legs and leapt into a nearby bush, grinning brightly. "What the-! Who's-?" She turned around in time to spot the small Pokemon sticking its head out from behind the tiny leaves. "Oh, it surprised me! It's a Turtwig!"

It beamed at her before disappearing into the bushes with a cheerful, "Turt!"

Jane tugged on the arm of Sara's jacket with a paw to get her attention. "Ty! Typhlos!"

"What? What is it?"

"Typhlosion!" Jane replied, pointing towards the bush where the Turtwig had vanished, "Typhlos! Typhlos!"

"Okay, I get it," Sara said with a determined grin, "Finally, some action! Come on, Jane! Let's catch him!"

"Ty!"

And with that, the young trainer charged through the bushes, Pokeball clenched tightly in hand, and Typhlosion hot on her heels.

* * *

><p><strong>Tomas<strong> struggled through the thick undergrowth, cursing his own sharp tongue. Why did he have to go and make the vicious fire-breathing monster mad?

He could barely see anything with all the leaves and thin branches brushing against his eyes and muzzle, so he resigned himself to simply pushing blindly forward, hoping for escape. Tomas had begun to feel faint as he fought to maintain his composure, his pounding heartbeat almost painful in his chest. To make matters worse, the thick scent that these leaves gave off was starting to sting his nose and eyes again. He fought down another sarcastic comment, and tried to ignore the smell for the moment. It was his own fault anyway.

"Okay, calm down, Tomas," he thought aloud between ragged breaths, "Panicking won't solve anything. This could still be a dream. An intense, lucid, and _very_ vivid dream, or maybe some kind of powerful hallucinogen."

It was a good thing for Tomas that the dirt trail was a winding path from the town to the lake, lined with trees and bushes that could severely limit one's visibility. Otherwise, he might not have had the chance to slip out of Houndoom's line of sight long enough to veer off-trail and dive into a nearby shrub. The lumbering beast had charged right past him without a second glance, continuing down the path before eventually fading into the distance. Even in spite of his current problems and an almost overwhelming sense of confusion, Tomas couldn't help but feel a tinge of satisfaction at this small victory.

'_I can't believe I actually lost him,'_ he thought with a relieved sigh, _'That Houndoom really is pretty stupid."_

Still, it was only a matter of time before that psychotic beast had calmed down enough to start tracking Tomas by scent, and he needed to be long gone-or hopefully awake-by then. He gingerly pushed through the thin branches with his muzzle until he finally caught a whiff of fresh air. With renewed enthusiasm, Tomas crawled the rest of the way out of the bushes and stepped onto a small clearing of tall grass and flowers, surrounded by trees.

"Finally made it!" he thought aloud, pausing to rub his irritated nose with a paw. "Ugh…okay…where am I now?"

The Umbreon couldn't see the dirt path anymore, not even through the thick bushes he had just crawled through. And since the path was the only part of forest that he knew anything about, it was safe to assume that he was lost. _'Okay, this is probably not a good thing,' _he reasoned,_ 'but at least I'm not in any immediate danger…'_

"Sweet! You have an awesome Chimchar, man. I'll trade you a Starly for it."

"No way, dude. This one's going to be my secret weapon, after I finish training it."

'_Ah…crap.'_

There were two Pokemon trainers standing in the clearing just a few feet away from Tomas, apparently gearing up for a battle. One of the trainers, an enthusiastic teen with a green bandana on his head, had been ranting on about how great his Chimchar was. The Chimchar, of course, was sitting right there at his master's side, eyes bright with pride. The other trainer, a younger boy with blond hair, was listening intently, captivated by the older trainer's words. A Pichu was clinging tight on his shoulder, squeaking happily.

Tomas had been so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even realize that they were there until they'd started talking again. That was becoming a dangerous habit of his. Thankfully, they hadn't noticed him yet.

Almost on impulse, Tomas slunk into the shadows of a nearby tree, where he watched them with growing concern. Obviously, going through _that_ clearing wasn't such a good idea. Heading back the way he came wouldn't work out, either. It took too much effort just to crawl through the bushes the first time, and he'd run the risk of wearing himself out before finding the dirt path again.

The Umbreon recoiled from his own thoughts. "That doesn't even make sense! Why I am getting tired _in a dream_! I don't understand any of this!"

He glanced at the bushes behind him, his red-tinted eyes following the row of undergrowth until he noticed a small gap about 20 feet to the right, partially obscured by a set of tall oak trees. If he moved along these bushes and reached that opening, he could probably sneak away without being seen by the trainers. Afterwards, he could find his way back to the dirt path, and Cyndaquil. She was the only person-or _Pokemon_, to be accurate-that he could trust at the moment, and if he couldn't wake up from this terrible nightmare, then he should at least be around someone he could call a friend.

Tomas crept around the surrounding bushes, leaping from shadow to shadow, praying that those trainers wouldn't find him. Even though he still believed this to be a dream, Tomas couldn't help but be afraid; something in the back of his mind seemed to insist that, dream or not, being captured was a very, _very_ bad thing. Whatever it was, the feeling was almost…instinctive. And he believed it.

Meanwhile, the trainer with the green bandana on his head kept talking. "…yeah, the Chimchar is a great Pokemon to use for close range battles. And with my Piplup and Cranidos, I've got a pretty balanced team!"

"Man, you have a Cranidos, too?" the younger trainer asked in amazement, "Where did you find that Pokemon?"

"Well, it wasn't easy, that's for sure! It all started when I was wandering this cave…"

Tomas was so close to his goal! If he could just reach those trees…

He crouched low to the ground, eyes darting nervously from his destination to the trainers as he moved, careful not to make a sound. _'I'm almost there. Just a little bit further…' _

Tomas shot a quick glance at the trainers, and then froze when the trainer with the green bandana turned around and spotted him, their eyes meeting for a few painful seconds. The teen's words trailed off mid-sentence as he stared in the Umbreon's direction, hands raised slightly in surprise.

'_Please, don't say anything!' _Tomas pleaded mentally to the trainer, _'Please! Just ignore me! Just pretend I don't exist!' _

His hopes sunk when the teen did a double-take and pointed at him. _'Damn it!'_

"Oh wow, that's a Umbreon!"

"What? An Umbreon? Where?"

"Over there! I just saw it moving in front of that bush!"

Tomas just stared, looking especially pitiful while the green-bandana teen reached into his backpack and produced a Pokeball.

"Chimchar, go get it!"

Tomas opened his mouth and urgently tried to tell them to stop, that he wasn't some nameless Pokemon they could just catch and own. Unfortunately, the only thing they heard was, "Um…Umbreon! Breon!"

"Chimchar, use Ember!"

'_Oh, great! Not this crap, again!'_ Tomas broke into a sprint as chunks of flaming rock exploded around him. One rather large piece sailed mere inches in front of his head as he ran, sending a burst of searing heat over his eyes and muzzle, almost making him stumble and fall over before he reached the trees. "Breon! Um, eon _breon_!"

"Come back!" Tomas heard the younger trainer shout. Ignoring him, the Umbreon dived through the gap in the bushes, and kept running. Dream or not, there was no _freaking_ way he was going to end up as somebody's property!

The green-bandana trainer was the first to reach the opening, Pokeball in hand. "This one's all mine, kid! Go find your own Umbreon to catch!"

"Not a chance! You already have your 'balanced' team, and your Chimchar! Let me get this one! Pichu, use Thundershock!"

The ground behind Tomas _exploded_ in a blinding flash as lightning stuck the ground where he'd stood seconds ago, leaving his ears ringing. He pushed harder, running with everything he had, not even bothering to check and see if they were still chasing him. As if he'd actually have to.

At this point, hoping that they would simply let him go was pretty much wishful thinking.

'_This isn't a dream,'_ Tomas thought between labored pants, _'This is a nightmare!'_


	5. Chapter 3: A Sudden Interference

**-Chapter 3: A Sudden Interference-**

The strange observer was watching the entire scene closely, hardly able to contain its excitement. It couldn't believe just how easily everything went according to plan; almost like clockwork.

Well, not quite _clockwork_, per se. There were still a few kinks here and there that needed smoothing out, but it was close enough.

"This just isn't our day, is it Jane?" the girl trainer said from the ground, just below the observer's viewing place in the trees. From there, it had watched intently as she moved through one grass clearing after another, searching around trees and over bushes in vain for the Turtwig that she'd been chasing for the past 10 minutes.

"Yeah…" the Typhlosion muttered, sulking as she trudged after her trainer, "I can't believe we got conned so easily by that Turtwig. I should've seen it coming."

The observer giggled as it spied on them from an overhanging tree branch.

'_Ha!'_ it thought, sporting a wide grin,_ 'They'll never find that Turtwig now!_' It slapped a paw over its mouth to muffle its laughter when the girl trainer walked right under its branch, pouting and scratching her head.

"I think we're too late," the trainer said with a sigh, "that Turtwig is probably long gone by now."

'_Yep, that's true…' _the observer added, leaning low on the branch,_ '…but don't you worry, Sara. If my changes to the plan work out, you'll be getting a much better prize very soon!'_

Yes, there had been several unexpected events that made it necessary to adjust the plan on the fly. One in particular was Tomas panicking on the dirt path and dashing away with Houndoom on his tail. When that Umbreon started running towards the town, he had been on a direct collision course with the girl trainer, who was on her way to the lake. In order for the plan to succeed, it couldn't risk them meeting…well, at least not _that_ early. The diversion had worked perfectly, and now, judging from their grumbling, the trainer and her Typhlosion should finally be getting tired of their pointless search and return to the path.

The girl trainer passed under the observer's branch again, looking dejected. "Come on, Jane. Let's head back to the path. I want to hit the lake before it starts getting dark."

The observer smiled to itself. _'Looks like things are progressing nicely on this end. I might as well check up on that irritable little Umbreon!'_

It focused on Tomas' mental signature and then vanished with a small _POP_. In the blink of an eye, it reemerged in an entirely different part of the forest, an area comprised mostly of tall grass, fallen trees, and thick prickly bushes. Several tall oaks hung overhead, barren of leaves, frail branches pointing to the sky like the bony claws of some long-forgotten beast. The observer floated in midair, watching as those old trees flailed and reached in the wind towards it. And it felt a slight shiver run down its spine.

Without a sound, it drifted through the air past a fallen, rotten tree and glanced around.

'_Now, where is the little cynic?' _The sharp buzz of electricity, followed by a pained yelp, answered that question rather quickly. The observer levitated into the air and sat on the elevated, jagged branch of a withered oak tree, which stretched high enough above the forest to provide an excellent view of the action. _'Ah-ha! There he is!'_ Tomas was in the clearing just below, jumping around and attempting, unsuccessfully, to avoid the electrical shocks from a small Pichu as it darted in front of him. He cursed loudly when another violent shock sent him tumbling to the ground, making his fur stand on end as he struggled to get back up.

Was that little thing _really_ giving him trouble? Apparently, the assumption that he'd adapt quickly to his new form had been a gross overestimation. Yet another kink in the plan, it seemed…

As the strange observer looked on, it noticed two more human trainers and a Chimchar approaching the clearing from the left, slowly forcing their way through a field of prickly bushes and tall grass. From the looks of it, Tomas wouldn't escape in time to avoid them.

"Oh, good grief," the observer muttered, shaking its head, "I can't leave that Tomas alone for one minute without him getting into _some_ kind of trouble." As amusing as it was to watch him roll around on the ground, sparking like a waterlogged Jolteon, it _would_ completely ruin the plan if Tomas were captured by one of these losers.

"Yep, looks like I'll have to step in and lend him a paw," it said with a mischievous giggle, "This should be fun."

* * *

><p><strong>Cyndaquil <strong>trotted down the dirt trail, feeling uncharacteristically bitter.

This was definitely not her day. She'd finally found a new friend to talk to, and just when everything was going great…_he_ showed up.

Cyndaquil huffed and kicked a pebble away with a paw. "Great, just _perfect_. What am I supposed to tell Todd now? 'Oh hey, master! Yeah, I met this nice Umbreon that I wanted you to meet, but then Houndoom jumped out of a bush and ate him. I'm so sorry.'"

'_I actually kinda' liked him, too,' _she added in thought, still unwilling to admit it aloud.

"Hey, Cyndaquil! Over here!"

'_Oh! Here comes Houndoom again!' _she thought with a cold shiver. The vivid image of him drenched in Tomas' warm blood flashed into her mind, almost making her retch. _'I can't look! I don't want to look at him!'_

"Cyndaquil! Over here!"

She jolted on reflex, and then reluctantly turned in the direction of the voice. Houndoom was trotting back down the dirt path towards her, pausing to glare at each bush he passed before moving on to the next, grumbling as he did. "Not there, either…"

Cyndaquil walked to Houndoom's side, gave him a quick once-over…and hid a smile. "Well, you don't _look_ like you've just eaten an Umbreon…"

Houndoom shrugged, looking more indignant than usual. "What do you want from me? I lost the little runt during the chase. But it's not over yet. I'm _not_ going to let this go."

"You…lost him?" As much as she wanted to, Cyndaquil just couldn't hide the relieved tone in her voice. _'He's still alive!_'

"Yeah, but only for the moment," the Houndoom growled, "Did he come this way?"

Cyndaquil paused, and then stared down at her paws sheepishly. "Nope, I haven't seen him. Neither hide, nor hair. Not a _single_ thing."

"Hey, don't give me that! He came this way, didn't he?"

"No, of course not!"

In reality, she _was_ telling the truth. She hadn't seen any sign of Tomas since watching him dash away in a fear-drenched frenzy. Of course, Houndoom didn't need to know that._ 'Please, Tomas,'_ Cyndaquil thought with an uneasy determination, _'Use this time to escape. I'm distracting him, just like I said I would! I just hope that Houndoom doesn't eat me instead!'_

"You're lying, obviously," Houndoom said flatly. He leaned in closer, and sniffed her fur. "And his scent is _all_ over your paws! What, did you give him a back rub, too?"

Cyndaquil felt her cheeks burning at the thought. "N...no! Why would you even _say_ that! I just found him in the woods, and I tried to wake him up! That's all!"

"Really? Cross your heart, and _rope to lie_?"

"Yeah, I-" Cyndaquil froze mid-sentence, and turned to stare at him questioningly. The Houndoom stared right back, his face suddenly awash with uncertainty.

"That…that _is_ how the humans say it, right?"

Cyndaquil flinched under his harsh gaze, and put on a hollow smile. There wasn't much point in pushing her own luck with the brute. "Uh, yeah! Exactly!"

"Ha! I knew it!," Houndoom said, grinning ferociously. "And that Umbreon thought I didn't know my human phrases! What an idiot! In fact, if I had the chance, I'd tell him to-"

* * *

><p>"-shut the hell up and get away from me!" Tomas cried out as Pichu bounded in front of him again, giggling like a schoolgirl. He was trapped; stuck in place by the small Pichu, who was fast enough to literally run circles around the Umbreon. Every time Tomas tried to run in one direction, the tiny Pokemon would dart around him and block his escape. It didn't help at all that the little monster had already caught him with several Thundershock attacks at near point-blank range as well. His whole body was starting to go numb from the electrical shocks, slowing his reaction time and making it harder to move his limbs. For all his efforts, he just couldn't lose the little yellow creature!<p>

"Come on!" Pichu shouted between giggles, "Let's play some more!"

"Leave…me…alone!" Tomas screamed at the Pichu, who circled around and cut off his retreat again.

"Not 'til you give up!"

"This isn't some kind of game! LET ME GO!"

"Nuh-uh! Let's wait until my master catches up!"

"No!"

By now, Tomas had begun to feel a strange sort of detachment from reality. It may have been because of the adrenaline pumping through his veins, or possibly the numbness from Pichu's electrical attacks. Or maybe, it was because of the muddled, conflicting thoughts that he couldn't rid himself of, the ones that told him that everything he'd experienced since this dream started…was _real_. Those thoughts were stuck in the back of his head like a old, rusty nail, tearing mercilessly at his psyche, making clarity impossible.

And yet, as unrelenting as these feelings were, there was still one thing left that Tomas could care about at that moment. The single, defining thought that pushed through the hazy doubts of his mind, was escape.

And this yellow ball of fuzz was the only obstacle in his way.

"Pichu…" he growled between clenched teeth, "…don't make me hurt you."

Pichu canted his head to one side, and laughed again. "How can you hurt me if you can't even outrun me? Do you even _know_ any special moves?"

Tomas could already hear the soft crunch of approaching footsteps coming from beyond the tall grass and thick bushes behind him. It would only be moments before he'd be completely surrounded, trapped between the trainers and this accursed Pichu.

"Hey, I think I can hear my Pichu over here!"

"Remember what I said, man! That Umbreon is all mine!"

Tomas' heart was pounding in his chest, and his legs began to feel weak. _'Damn it! I don't want to be caught!' _he thought, panicked, _'No! I have to get away!' _The Pichu was busy dancing around, grinning like an idiot while he watched the Umbreon crumble into pieces. _'If only I knew a special attack or something! I'd wipe that smug grin off that yellow moron's face, if I ever got the chance! Damn!'_

"I think they're in this field! Hurry it up, man!"

"I'm coming, dude! I'm coming!"

The panic, the fear of capture, the frustration of feeling powerless-it was all too much for the small Umbreon to handle, and he finally gave in to anger and hysteria. "NO!" Tomas screamed at the Pichu, "LET ME GO YOU-"

"Good Morning!"

Upon hearing those words, both Pokemon froze, surprised by the unexpected interruption.

Despite being only two words, the greeting seemed to echo in Tomas' ears with the consistency of a bell chiming in the distance, sending shivers down his spine. In moments, the sound of that calm, cheerful voice had taken away all the tension in the area, leaving the Umbreon feeling exhausted, and emotionally drained.

Pichu shuddered visibly, apparently having experienced a similar effect. He began looking around, anxiously scanning the entire area for the source of that strange voice. After several seconds of searching, the Pichu did a double-take, and then stared at something to his left. Tomas, who was tired, sluggish, and sore, slowly turned and followed his gaze.

Both of them watched while a Turtwig emerged from a behind a fallen tree. It gave them both a broad smile and a courteous bow, to which Pichu replied with a bow of his own.

"It's a Turtwig!" Pichu stated, smiling again, "But, it's not still morning, is it?"

Tomas struggled to move his heavy limbs, groggily at first. He shook his head several times in an attempt to clear the fog that sapped his concentration. What just happened?

'_Wake up, Tomas! Get moving!'_

He shook his head again, this time in confusion. "…Eh, what?"

"Oops, sorry," the Turtwig said with nervous laugh, "I guess I took a wrong turn. Don't mind me."

"It's okay! See ya!" Pichu replied, waving goodbye to the grass Pokemon. He watched with curious fascination as the Turtwig scurried away, returning to the fallen tree. It winked at the Pichu and chuckled before vanishing behind the rotting wood.

"What a nice Turtwig! Hey, Mister Umbreon! Wasn't that a nice-" Pichu froze when he realized that his new playmate was long gone. "-uh, hello? Umbreon?"

Pichu skimmed the area quickly, but it was already too late. Just a few seconds later, the trainers managed to stumble through the prickly bushes, with Chimchar close behind. The young trainer glared down at the yellow Pokemon, arms crossed in disappointment. "Pichu? Where did the Umbreon go? Did you lose it?"

Pichu looked up at his trainer, pointed ears laid back, and giggled nervously.

* * *

><p>'<em>Well…that was oddly convenient,'<em> Tomas thought as he sped away, shaking his head to clear away any lingering dizziness, _'Was that the same Turtwig that I saw earlier today? Did it just save me?'_

He leapt through bushes and around trees as fast as his exhausted body could carry him, sheer instinct forcing him onward without care for direction or destination, just as long as he put as much distance between himself and that Pichu as possible. It was just fortunate for him that Pichu had all the concentration of a bowl of fruit, or he might not have made it.

Tomas blinked at that realization, but then shook it from his mind. It was best to focus on escape and nothing else…

…still, it _was_ lucky that he had managed to escape Pichu…and the same could be said for his escape from Houndoom…

It may have even been a bit _too_ lucky, in fact. Tomas never had this kind of luck, not even in his wildest dreams…what was happening to him?

'_You're right,' _a voice echoed in his head, _'you aren't that lucky.'_

Tomas slid to an abrupt stop next to a weathered old oak tree, his mouth hanging open. What that hell was happening _now_? Was he going crazy?

'_Well, not quite crazy,'_ the voice answered, _'but you are hopeless! Do you know how close you are to messing up my plans? I put so much work into setting this up, and you panic at the first sign of trouble! By Arceus, you really haven't changed!'_

"Who the hell are you?" Tomas demanded, looking around the forest uneasily, "And why are you in my head?"

'_How's about we use our inside voice, 'kay? It makes you look like some kind of weirdo when you talk aloud like that!'_

"Shut up!"

'_You know, you're not being very constructive here. You could at least thank me for helping you out back there!'_

"But, you're just a voice in my head!"

'_All the more reason to listen to me, right? Now get moving! Make a left turn by that large oak tree with the broken branches!'_

"But why should I listen to some voice in my head?"

'_Trust me! It's the only way.'_

Tomas let loose a pained sigh before speeding off again through the forest. Beyond the indicated tree, he could see a curved row of neatly trimmed bushes standing several feet apart, which gave the Umbreon a slightly obscured view of the dirt path. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief at having finally made it back to a familiar area, and made a mental vow to never, _ever_ leave that trail again to wander these dangerous woods.

'_Just keep straight from here. Also, don't look now, but the walking battery pack has returned.'_

"What?"

'_Don't just say "what!" You have to dodge-'_

"Pichu, use Thundershock!"

A blinding light flashed before Tomas' eyes, and he heard a distant scream as his body was lifted off the ground.


	6. Chapter 4: A Fateful Encounter

**-Chapter 4: A Fateful Encounter-**

**Sara** was _so_ done with this forest. Not meeting a single Pokemon was bad enough for any trainer, but being led on a wild goose chase by some manic Turtwig with a big, stupid grin? Now that was just _wrong_. And, as if to embarrass her further, Sara could've sworn that she'd heard…_giggling_…in the distance. Was some trainer out there watching her be made a fool of by a Pokemon, or was that Turtwig just having a laugh at her expense?

'_I might've just been hearing things,'_ Sara thought as she stepped back onto the dirt path, _'I mean, Pokemon can't even laugh like that, right?'_

She glanced at her Typhlosion and tried to imagine her giggling like a young girl. The image of Jane laughing and talking like a human flashed in Sara's mind, and a warm smile spread across her weary face. When Jane noticed the sudden change in her trainer's mood, she responded with a broad grin of her own. "Typhlo!"

Sara chuckled and patted Jane on the head gently. "It's a good thing we're so used to this type of bad luck. Otherwise, I'd probably be upset right now."

"Ty, Ty."

Sara breathed in a heavy sigh, and then glanced around the dirt path, checking for movement. Aside from a slight swaying in the wind, the whole forest seemed still, almost abandoned. Naturally, Sara wasn't surprised by this. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that her luck with finding Pokemon would change any time soon, _especially_ after everything that's happened thus far. She simply gave a dismissive shrug and continued down the path toward the lake.

"Wait a minute…" Sara slowed her pace, and then looked around again. Something _was_ different. The usual sounds of Poke-chatter in the air were gone. The forest seemed to be eerily silent, devoid of all sound except for the rustling of leaves and the low howling of wind.

'_Well, that's kind of creepy,' _Sara thought with growing concern, _'Where did all the Pokemon go?'_ The young trainer shuddered for a moment, and pulled her jacket closer. "Come on, Jane. Let's hurry up and hit the-"

In an instant, the air behind her was ignited with a sudden burst of flickering light. The sharp crackle of electricity immediately followed, assaulting Sara's ears and cutting her off mid-sentence. Startled, she tried to turn around in a single, awkward jolt, which only succeeded in throwing her wildly off-balance. "Wah!"

Arms flailing for balance, she stumbled backwards for several steps before bouncing hard on her butt amidst a cloud of dust and flying pebbles. Ignoring the pain in her backside, she sat upright and stared while the last wisps of voltage shank away behind the row of bushes further down the curved trail, leaving a plume of swirling smoke in its wake. Sara had been too far away to see the source of the electricity, but it didn't take a genius to figure out what had just happened.

"Was that…a Thundershock attack?"

Jane leapt in front of her trainer, paws spread and fangs bared defensively. "Typhlosion! Ty, _Typhlos_ Ty!"

"Ah, that wasn't very far from here!" Sara groaned as she stood up again, rubbing her sore bottom, "Ugh. It might be a Pikachu or something!"

Jane looked back at her trainer questioningly. "Ty?"

"Yeah, it probably already belongs to a trainer. But…if it's _attacking_, then there might be some other Pokemon to catch, right?"

"Ty! Plos!"

"And there might be one we can catch, too! What do you think, Jane?"

The Typhlosion stared at her trainer for a few seconds, as if contemplating the question. She quickly answered with a broad grin and an enthusiastic nod of her head. "Ty!"

"Okay, then!" Sara said, brushing the dirt from her back, "I guess the lake can wait until next time. Let's check it out!"

"Typhlosion!"

* * *

><p><strong>Cyndaquil<strong> sat up on her haunches, frowning as Houndoom kept talking.

"…and then the Crobats said, 'Houndoom is the best at using human phases!' That's what they said, honest truth! Even the master said it!"

"Really?" Cyndaquil asked, barely masking her skepticism, "_Todd_ said that?"

"Of course! What, you don't believe me? Why, I remember back when he…"

Cyndaquil stared blankly at Houndoom as he continued chattering on. Sure, she was happy that the violent, murderous beast became relatively docile whenever he started on another one of his self-obsessed rants-it was safer for her, at least. Unfortunately, whenever Houndoom began talking about himself, there was _really_ no telling when it would end.

"…and then, the master turned and said to me, 'Look, Houndoom, I respect your power…'"

'_I think I liked it better when I was terrified of him,'_ she thought with a sigh, _'This could take all day.' _But, in spite of herself, whenever Cyndaquil gazed down the dirt path, she couldn't help but crack a smile. Tomas had probably made it into town by now, where she knew Houndoom wouldn't follow. And even if Todd _had_ allowed them to enter the town, as long as Tomas kept running, it'd be all but impossible for Houndoom to track him down.

So, it was a given, then. Tomas would get away, and Houndoom would no longer be a threat. Well, not an _immediate_ threat, at least. To Cyndaquil, it seemed that things were finally starting to improve…

'_Don't count on it, kiddo!'_

Cyndaquil jolted upright and looked around. "Um, Houndoom? Did you hear that…?"

Houndoom broke from his self-obsessed rant to glare at her, grumbling, "Hear what? What are you going on about, now?"

"I…uh, never mind." She was about to dismiss it as her imagination when the muffled sound of rapidly approaching footsteps reached her ears, accompanied by a very familiar voice: "What?"

Cyndaquil spun around and stared at a row of bushes next to her, in the direction of the voice. That _definitely_ wasn't her imagination! But, it couldn't be…

"Pichu, use Thundershock!"

Suddenly, one of the bushes in front of Cyndaquil burst into flames when a powerful bolt of electricity stuck the area right behind it, filling the air above her with dancing threads of voltage that twisted around each other like a mesh of blinding light. She stumbled backward with a yelp, frantically struggling to protect her ears from the sharp crackling sound while she took cover behind Houndoom's crouched form. He jerked his head away from the light, eyes clenched shut, and yelled something at her that was barely audible over the deafening sounds.

'_By Arceus! What's happening now?!'_ Cyndaquil shouted out in her mind. The electricity crackled in the air for a few more seconds before fading away, leaving a shrill ringing in her ears and the pungent odor of burning wood in her nose. It took another minute for her eyes to recover enough to see more than fuzzy, moving shapes.

While rubbing her eyes with her paws, Cyndaquil almost didn't notice the injured Umbreon as it sailed through the smoldering remains of the bush and rolled onto the dirt path, panting and trembling with fatigue. The Umbreon's fur stood on end as sparks of electricity peeled off its body, making sharp buzzing noises as they floated to the ground around its shaky paws.

'_It couldn't be!_' Cyndaquil thought, incredulous, _'Tomas should've been long gone! That can't be the same Umbreon!'_

The Umbreon glared at the burnt bush, and cursed. "T-t-that almost killed me! How the _hell_ is that Pichu so freaking powerful?"

'_Okay,' _she corrected bitterly,_ 'it's definitely him.'_

Another flash of electricity arced through the burning remains of the bush, just barely missing Tomas but still making him stumble back with surprise. His attacker, an energetic little Pichu, leapt over the crumpled ashes and slid onto the path in front of the stunned Umbreon, pinning him between itself and the other two surprised Pokemon.

"Ha, gotcha' now!" the Pichu exclaimed, clapping its paws together in excitement.

Tomas stood upright, wincing at the static electricity passing through his fur. "Ah, damn it. I thought I'd lost yo-" His words fell short when he finally noticed the two spectators gawking at him from the path, "-uh, um..."

Houndoom, Tomas, Cyndaquil, and Pichu all froze as they stared at each other for what seemed for an eternity of awkward silence. Cyndaquil tried her best to find something decent to say, anything to break this painful impasse, to defuse this situation before it became predictably violent. Nothing came to mind. In truth, even as the thoughts formed in her mind, she knew better. There wasn't anything she could say or do that would change the outcome of this unfortunate turn of events. The only option available to Cyndaquil…was simply to stand by and watch the inevitable chaos unfold.

'_Oh…this isn't going to end well,' _she thought with a cringe.

As expected, Houndoom was the first to snap. A low growl rumbled from his muzzle, and he crouched in a battle stance, literally trembling with rage as he glared at the Umbreon. "YOU!"

"You?!" Tomas replied, utterly horrified.

"I-It's you!" Cyndaquil blurted out.

"Him?" Pichu asked, pointing to Tomas, "or me?"

"_You…_" Houndoom muttered between gritted teeth, "…are going to be in so much pain! You pi-"

"Haha! That was funny!" Pichu interrupted, giggling, "Let's do it again!"

"Okay, look Houndoom," Tomas said, inching away slowly, "I think that we may have gotten off on the wrong foot…er, paw here! Can't we talk about this?"

"NO!"

The Umbreon shrunk back, wincing visibly, and muttered, "Well, when you say it like _that_-" The sound of shuffling and footsteps approaching from beyond the bushes made Tomas freeze mid-sentence, his long ears perking up instinctively at the sound of an accompanying voice:

"I think that Umbreon went this way! Go get it, Chimchar!"

"Oh, for the love of-!" Tomas cried out. He turned and dashed down the dirt path again, past the surprised Pichu, just as the Chimchar burst through the bushes and landed on the trail. It glared at Houndoom and Cyndaquil for just a moment, and then sped off in hot pursuit of Tomas without a single word.

"Hey, back off!" Houndoom howled at the Chimchar, "That Umbreon's hide is _MINE_!"

Cyndaquil jumped in front of Houndoom, paws cupped over her mouth. "Tomas! Keep running!"

"Wait!" Pichu called out as it followed the Chimchar, "I think I'm supposed to chase him, too!"

Seething, Houndoom charged after the Umbreon, barreling into Cyndaquil and sending her tumbling over his head with a yelp. "LITTLE RUNT! I'LL TEACH YOU A LESSON YOU'LL NEVER FORGET!"

By now, the two Pokemon trainers had carefully climbed over the smoldering ashes, and were stepping onto the path. The green-bandana teen scanned the area quickly before turning to point at Tomas' retreating form further down the trail. "Look there! The Umbreon's getting away! It's heading back towards the lake!"

"Let me catch it, please! Please? I _need_ a Umbreon for my team!"

"No way, kid! Just sit back and watch an experienced trainer in action!"

And they too gave chase, sprinting right past Cyndaquil, who was lying on her stomach just a few feet away, groaning and rubbing the top of her head.

"STOP RUNNING!"

"No! Leave me alone, you lunatics!"

"Hahaha! This is a fun chase!"

"Go catch 'em, Pichu!"

"Lay off, man! That Umbreon's not for you!"

As the cacophony of yells, squeals, and footsteps faded in the distance, Cyndaquil was once again left in the dust, coughing from her less-than-glamorous position in the dirt.

"T-that Tomas…" Cyndaquil sputtered between choking gasps, "…he lives a very active life."

* * *

><p><strong>Tomas<strong> wasn't having a good day. His body was really hurting now, sore from the multiple shocks and worn out from the physical and emotional strain that he had been put through repeatedly. The usual tactic of running away didn't help in the slightest, and every time it seemed that he had finally escaped a threat, he would inexplicably run into another one. Even now, he could hear his pursuers shouting as they kept up the chase, the fear of what would happen if they caught up bearing down on him like a heavy yoke, crushing the air from his lungs. And, with his deteriorating condition, he knew that the pursuit wouldn't last for much longer. How would he get out of this one? Why couldn't they just leave him alone?

Tomas slipped on a small pebble while running down the path, yelping in pain even as he forced himself to keep moving on tender paws.

And then, there were the doubts that kept popping up in his head. Tomas was no longer sure that this was a dream. It felt much too real to be in his imagination. The pain, the exhaustion, the adrenaline; it wasn't something that someone would feel while asleep, no matter how intense the dream was. Could all this be really be happening? And if so, what was the cause? Was he dead?

Did he die and go to hell? That was it, wasn't it? He was in hell, right?

Maybe he _was_ dead, and now he's being tortured by some horrible, disgusting demon!

What kind of _demon_ _from_ _hell_ was torturing him?

'_Oh, don't be so melodramatic!'_ the voice in Tomas' head chimed, _'You should be having fun, like me! I mean, did you see the look on that Cyndaquil's face when you popped out of that bush? Priceless! By Arceus, I haven't been involved in a chase this exciting in such a long time! Ah, it brings back fond memories…'_

The faint sound of mischievous giggling that followed brought a growl to the Umbreon's muzzle. "Damn you, stupid voice! You led me back to that psycho on purpose, didn't you?"

'_Hey, I'm just spicing things up a bit while I save your life! By the way, how resistant are you to molten rock and electricity?'_

"S-shut up!"

'_I'm sorry. I'm just curious to know.'_

"W…wait! Are you mocking me?"

'_Dunno. Probably.'_

"Why, you-!"

Tomas was interrupted again when he swerved around a large bend in the path, almost falling over from a sudden cramp in his hind leg. Cursing, he clenched his eyes shut as he fought back the pain and exhaustion, and charged blindly forward. He wasn't about to lay down and let them catch him!

'_Head's up!'_

"Wha-!"

Tomas slammed headfirst into two long legs, toppling their owner like a bowling ball striking a pin. He heard the impact and a pained shout when his unwitting victim hit the ground behind him, and felt their legs brush against his back as he tumbled through the air under them, unable to do anything to stop himself. The world spun wildly before his eyes as he fell head-over-heels, just barely catching a fleeting glimpse of a pair of jeans with an auburn handkerchief hastily stuffed into a back pocket. Finally, Tomas bounced off the ground several times before his own momentum sent him sliding to a painful stop in the middle of the path.

'_Ugh…wha…what just happened?'_ he thought groggily, _'What just hit me?'_ With a low groan, he tried desperately to stand up as two long, warm arms wrapped around him and lifted his body off the ground. Tomas looked up unsteadily, and was met with a pair of deep hazel eyes. _'Oh…okay,' _he added, answering his own question,_ 'It's…it's a girl.'_

Dazed and slightly confused, it took him several seconds to realize that he'd just fallen into the lap of _another_ trainer.

"Sara! Are you okay?" a Typhlosion asked, already moving to defend her master, "Hey, Umbreon! Get away from Sara!"

As dizzy as Tomas was at the moment, she might as well have talking to a small basket of hammers. "Huh? I…don't…uh…"

"Wow, it's…an Umbreon!" Sara exclaimed, "Wow, a Umbreon just came out of nowhere, and ran right into me! Look, Jane! We've found our new teammate!"

"Wait, _what_?" Jane yelled in reply, staring at the bedraggled Pokemon in her trainer's arms.

"W…wait…what?" Tomas mumbled as he struggled weakly in her grasp. It was no use. He was just too exhausted and stunned to put up a fight against this new trainer.

'_No!'_ Tomas thought, cursing himself for not being more careful, _'D…damn!'_ What was the point of everything he had just went through to keep from being captured? Was it all in vain? _'It's…not fair, damn it!'_

"I was right, Jane!" Sara bragged, hugging her new prize triumphantly, "There _was_ a Pokemon for us to catch over here!"

'_Let…me go!'_ Tomas pleaded mentally, _'This…can't be happening…'_

After feebly pushing against her in vain for a few more seconds, Tomas finally slumped despairingly in her arms. It was all over for him. By now, he could hear the sounds of his pursuers approaching from just beyond the next bend in the path. Even if he _could_ break free, he most certainly wouldn't have the strength to outrun them again.

"Sara, I'm not sure about this," Jane said from somewhere behind him, "He looks kind of sickly. Is he about to die?"

'_I think that Typhlosion's talking about you, Tomas!' _the voice chimed in his head again, _'Maybe you should twitch or something. You know, let 'em know that you're still kicking!_'

Tomas mumbled something between ragged breaths, and then shut his eyes, trying his best to ignore the throbbing pain in his body, and the faint giggles from his unseen tormentor.

'_Oh, that's not a nice thing to say, Tomas!'_


	7. Chapter 5: An Unwitting Ally

**-Chapter 5: An Unwitting Ally-**

The strange observer was watching Tomas from behind a tree overlooking the path, its small body bobbing in the air as it giggled uncontrollably, eyes welling up with tears, only pausing for a moment to suck in a lungful of air before losing control again.

'_I didn't even know that Umbreons could bounce like that!' _it thought, doubling over from another fit of giggles, _'And that girl trainer? The look on her face after she face-planted into the dirt was so…utterly…priceless!'_

The observer replayed the entire scene in its mind again, relishing in the sheer comedic timing of the events. It wasn't perfect, but still utter _clockwork_. And all it took was a little bit of distraction here and there, along with some very quick thinking and a few clever remarks, and the prank was set up perfectly. Panicked and exhausted, that cynical little ball of fuzz didn't stand a chance.

'_Direct hit!' _the observer added with glee, even as it struggled to regain its composure, _'That was, by far, one of the funniest things I've seen all decade! Definitely a moment to remember!_' Feeling giddy, it whirled around several times in mid-air, almost crashing into the tree it was hiding behind. '_Oh, Tomas! You'll never, ever live this down! Not in a million years!'_

"Hey, p-put me…down…" Tomas barely managed to sputter as the girl trainer pulled him closer to her chest, "Ow! T-that hurts, you-Ah!"

"Sara?" the Typhlosion said anxiously, "I don't think you're supposed to hug it that hard!"

From its hiding place in the trees, the observer calmed itself as best it could, clearing its throat in an attempt to curb another fit of laughter rising up. _'A-ah, right,'_ it thought with a final smirk, paws covering it mouth as it fought down another giggle, _'Okay…I've really got to focus for a minute. On…on the plan.'_

When it had finally collected itself, the observer floated up to a tree branch hanging overhead and sat down, letting out an airy sigh. '_All right…time to get back to work.'_

Even though these recent developments weren't according to the original plan, it was fairly obvious by now that the main objective would be completed; Tomas wasn't going to escape Sara's smothering embrace anytime soon. Then again, the observer also knew that several other events just wouldn't work out as desired. For example, the fight it had planned between Tomas and Houndoom didn't happen. That dour little Umbreon wasn't supposed to run into the girl trainer until _after_ he'd clashed with Houndoom for a little while. That was the whole reason so much effort had been put into bringing Houndoom and Tomas together…_twice_! Between Houndoom's explosive temper and Tomas' caustic cynicism, a fight was literally guaranteed to go down at some point.

'_And here I was expecting an epic battle to take place!'_ it thought, eyebrows furrowed. _'I guess I overestimated Tomas again. He was supposed to fight back, not run away like a coward!' _

The observer lifted off the branch and hovered in the air, watching Tomas struggle desperately in Sara's arms. _'Ah, well. If he's already in her grasp, then there's only one thing left for me to do!'_ A wide grin spread across its face, and it covered its mouth with a paw to stifle its laughter again. _'Time to move on to phase two of my plan! And I can't wait to pick on Tomas some more! He always has the funniest comebacks!'_

Filled with mischievous intent, the strange observer began drifting from its hiding spot in the tree, inching closer to its unsuspecting victim. It was almost out of its cover when a small voice reached its ears from below, accompanied by quick footsteps and a childlike laugh. The observer ducked behind the tree again when the voice spoke up a second time:

"Mr. Umbreon! Come out and play! I wanna' play!"

'_Huh? What in Arceus' name was that?' _The observer focused its mind and reached down to the ground telepathically, leaving its body hidden in the trees. From there, it swiftly traveled along the dirt path until it sensed the movements of four sentient beings: two Pokemon and two humans. They were all running on the path towards Tomas and the girl trainer, their thoughts muddled by adrenaline and exhaustion. Obviously, it had to be those trainers that were chasing Tomas before, along with their Pokemon, that hyperactive Pichu and the stoic Chimchar.

No sign of Houndoom on the path, though.

'_On the other paw,' _the observer thought as it returned to its body,_ 'maybe I can squeeze a bit more fun out of this plan of mine…' _The observer turned its attention back to the girl trainer and the embittered Umbreon in her hands, grinning mischievously. _'Looks like it's time for Sara to take on a slightly more active role.'_

And with that, it vanished with a small _POP_, the fading sounds of giggling echoing in the air, as it waited for the right opportunity to strike.

* * *

><p><strong>Sara<strong> couldn't believe her luck. There was an _Umbreon_ in her hands, and not just a stuffed toy plushie, like the one in her room back at her father's mansion, but a _real_ Umbreon, made of flesh and blood!

It was all too surreal for Sara, and for a brief moment, she'd almost thought that she was dreaming. That moment came to an abrupt end when she pinched herself hard in the arm, wincing sharply. Nope, she definitely was not dreaming.

'_I got an Umbreon!' _she thought with a giddy squeal, _'And it's real!'_

And a bit on the heavy side, too.

Her arms strained under its weight when she held the small Pokemon away from her body to examine its trembling form. Judging from how dirty and disheveled it looked, she decided that the Umbreon didn't belong to anyone. After all, no trainer in their right mind would allow their Pokemon-especially one this rare-to run around looking so…_wretched_. Was there a miserable, homeless trainer camping out nearby?

"Um…Umbre…" the poor creature muttered from between clenched teeth. Its face was a literal portrait of discomfort, its eyes tightly shut, long ears twitching, and muzzle contorted in a pained grimace. As Sara studied the Umbreon's face, she found herself becoming almost entranced by the golden ring emblazoned into the fur on its forehead. And when she touched the soft, light-colored fur with a finger, it seemed to emit its own unnatural glow.

"Oh, wow," Sara murmured, pulling the Umbreon close again. "Well, you look like you've been hurt pretty badly."

Jane stared at the injured Pokemon and shook her head. "Typhlo, Ty Ty."

The Umbreon could only manage a faint whimper before slumping back into her arms again, tail twitching restlessly.

"You poor thing," Sara said as she slowly shifted its weight onto one arm for a few seconds, and offered what little sympathy she could in the form of a gentle pat on its head. "I guess I've finally found someone with worse luck than me…"

Sara's heart skipped a beat when the Umbreon didn't respond at all to her touch. Maybe it was just resting…that had to be it, right? It was only _resting_…

…because it would really suck if the poor little creature died in her arms. What if it _did_ die in her arms? Did it still have a pulse? Was it dead?

Oh…

No, wait! There it was! Sara breathed a sigh of relief when the Umbreon shifted again, trying to get comfortable in her arms. She could feel its heart pounding against her chest, slightly erratic, but still pretty strong.

'_I guess…'_ Sara thought with an uneasy smile, _'…it really was resting.'_

'_Or possibly just ignoring you,' _a small voice echoed in Sara's head, almost indiscernible from her own.

Well, that was also possible. Despite that, the Umbreon wasn't in any immediate danger, and as long as Sara got it to the Pokemon Center in Twinleaf Town, everything should be okay.

'_Well, if you say so, kid.'_

As Sara prepared for the short walk back into town, a dozen questions popped into her head about the strange Umbreon: Where did it come from? Does it belong to someone else? Why was it running, and what was it running from? What happened to it that would leave it so frail and beaten up?

Why in Arceus' name was it so _freaking_ heavy?

'_Wait a minute,'_ Sara thought in realization, _'is this Umbreon connected to that Thundershock attack I saw earlier? It was running from that direction when it knocked me over, right?' _She stared up into the sky as she gradually began to piece together the truth. _'But if that's the case, then it would mean that this Umbreon is being hunted, right? So, then, maybe it really doesn't belong to any-'_

"Pi?"

Sara froze when she felt a small tugging on the leg of her jeans. Warily at first, she bent forward to see over the injured Pokemon in her arms, craning her neck awkwardly to one side, until she was able to look at the ground near her legs. To the young trainer's surprise, there was a Pichu staring back at her, a wide grin spread across its adorable, yellow face. It yanked on her pants leg a second time, and then shifted its gaze expectantly to the Umbreon. "Pichu! Pi!"

'_That's a Pichu!' _she thought, returning the smile, _'Isn't that cute-wait, a Pichu?'_ Sara looked at the Umbreon in her arms, and then back at the Pichu. _'Oh! I think this explains that Thundershock attack I saw earlier!'_

"Typhlosion! Ty!"

The sound of shuffling nearby startled Sara from her thoughts, and she jolted upright, meeting the eyes of a Chimchar sitting on the path a few feet in front of her. The small Pokemon crossed its arms and stared at the Umbreon in her grasp, and then focused its harsh gaze on her, frowning.

"Oh…uh, you just kind of popped up out of nowhere, didn't you?" Sara murmured, attempting to avoid agitating the Chimchar. _'Well, at least my luck with finding Pokemon has gotten better…I think,_' she added in thought. Fortunately for Sara, she had read about similar encounters in the official Pokemon Trainer's Guide-a book that her father had forced her to study-so she already knew that panicking wouldn't do her any good. Also, with the heavy Umbreon in her arms, attempting to run away was probably a bad idea as well. _'And I probably wouldn't even have enough time to get a Pokeball for it, either. Guess that only leaves one option.'_

"Jane," she whispered to the Typhlosion, careful not to take her eyes off the Chimchar, "Get ready!"

"Ty!"

If the Chimchar had any clue of Sara's plans, it certainly didn't act like it. The small Pokemon sat motionless in the dirt, its flame flickering in the breeze while it stared blankly into the young trainer's eyes. As Sara scrutinized it, she felt a small shiver travel through her body, and her grip on the Umbreon begin to loosen. _'Okay…that's kind of weird.' _She stumbled back a bit when another, stronger shudder went up her spine. _'Wait a min-is it using Leer on me?'_ Sara turned away sharply, trying her best to avoid the Chimchar's watchful, disarming eyes.

At that, the Typhlosion leapt into a defensive position next to her trainer and shot a warning glare of her own at the smaller Pokemon. "Typlos…"

The Chimchar simply ignored her and kept its attention on Sara, eyes glowing fiercely. It placed its hands firmly on the ground, the flame on its backside flaring up in anticipation for a battle. Sara stepped away from the now obviously hostile Pokemon, gripping the Umbreon tightly. "On my signal, Jane…be ready. Also, don't look into its eyes."

"Ty!" Jane growled in response as she moved between Sara and her impending attacker, prepared for a fight. "Typhlosion!"

Meanwhile, the Pichu watched, with some confusion, while the two Pokemon stood frozen, each waiting for the other to make the first move. "Pi? Pichu?"

"Now!" Sara called out, "Jane! Use Flamethro-"

"Hey, over there! The Umbreon went that way!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!"

Sara stopped mid-command when she heard voices approaching from further down the path. She and the Pokemon all turned to watch while two trainers, a teen with a green bandana and a blond-haired youth, trudged around the bend in the path, breathing heavily, their eyes scouring the ground and bushes as they moved.

"I don't see it, man!"

"Keep looking! It had to have gone this way!"

"Hey, look! There's my Pichu!"

Sara glanced down at the Pichu again, and blinked twice. _'Oh, now it all makes sense!'_

"Chimchar, there you are!" the green-bandana teen said, frowning at the mute chimp, "Why did you stop here? Did you find that-" He froze mid-sentence when he noticed Sara, and the injured Umbreon in her arms. After taking a moment to connect the dots, he started towards her, jabbing a finger in her direction. "Hey, you! I was just about to catch that Umbreon!"

The Umbreon jolted against Sara's body at the trainer's mention of it, and she again felt sympathy for the poor thing. And as she tried to console it, she gradually became aware of another feeling as well. It was something stuck in the back of her mind that gently pulled at her heart, speaking to her, urging her to take action. The voice she heard was strange, almost alien in her head, and yet spoke with such an overwhelming sense of reassurance that it felt like the voice had always been there, had always been a part of her. Without even thinking, she found herself listening intently to its every word.

'_The nerve of those jerks!'_ the voice echoed in her head, suddenly filling her with an unusual confidence. _'Yeah!' _Sara thought angrily, _'The nerve of these jerks! How could they chase and torture this little defenseless Pokemon!' _

'_It's so weak, they could've easily captured it ages ago! Why did they let it run through the forest like this?' _As weak as it was, those trainers should've caught it a long time ago, instead of making it run around in such poor condition. That makes them nothing more than bullies!

'_There's no way you can give this Umbreon to them!' _Obviously, there was no chance of Sara handing this poor Umbreon over to those guys, just so they could mistreat it some more. But what could _she_ do to stop them from taking it?

'_Oh, that's an easy one.' _Sara looked at the frail Pokemon hunched over in her arms…and caught a flash of wicked inspiration. She took several deep breaths to calm her nerves, and then took a big step forward, speaking with a newfound courage. "Oh, you mean _this_ Umbreon? This one right here?"

The trainer with the green bandana blinked, clearly surprised by her sudden upsurge in bravado. "Uh, yeah! That one!"

"Really? So, I guess that means that I can blame _you_ for hurting my Pokemon then?" The Umbreon shifted restlessly in Sara's arms, and she gave it a gentle head rub until it relaxed again with a resigned snort.

The green bandana trainer took a step forward with both hands raised. "Wait, _your_ Pokemon?"

Sara furrowed her brow, put on the angriest face she could muster, and then took a quick stride towards the trainer. "Yes, _my_ Pokemon! Why do you think that it's letting me hold it, you _idiots_?"

'_Whoa…_' she thought, surprised by her own bluntness, '_where did that come from?'_

To Sara's great satisfaction, both trainers cringed visibly from her words. And then, as if to validate her claims, the Umbreon shifted in her arms and glowered at them, mumbling something that she could only assume was a direct insult. Seeing their reactions almost made Sara burst out laughing, but she forced herself to keep up the facade. _'Ha! It may not like me very much, but I guess it hates them a lot more. Not that I blame it.'_

The young trainer studied the Umbreon, eyebrow raised. "So, you've already…captured it?" With a Pokeball?"

Sara shot a scornful glance at the young trainer, and scoffed. "What do _you_ think?"

"But, why did you let it run around the forest by itself?"

"Well, it _is_ a forest," she replied, brushing a strand of hair from her face, "I let my Pokemon wander around a bit, to get some fresh air. They always find their way back to me." She lifted the Umbreon up a bit, to prove her point.

"Okay, but you can't get angry at us for trying to catch it!" the young trainer argued, "I mean, how in the world were _we_ supposed to know that the Umbreon was yours?"

"Honestly?" Sara retorted, trying her best to keep a straight face, "how often do you see a _wild_ Umbreon running around in this forest, or anywhere in Sinnoh, for that matter? They're pretty common, _right_?"

The young trainer thought about it for a minute, and then stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking away. "I...I guess not."

Neither trainer could argue with her logic. The green-bandana trainer looked at the injured Umbreon for a second, and then pulled his bandana off. "Oh, geez…we're really sorry, miss," he said, scratching the back of his head, "I didn't know that it already belonged to someone."

'_Well,' _Sara thought derisively, '_he sure changed his tune in a hurry. Probably thinks I'll call the cops on him now. Everyone knows that trying to catch another trainer's Pokemon is illegal.'_

The younger trainer looked indifferent at first, but quickly put on a remorseful face when the green-bandana trainer delivered a swift elbow to his side. "Y-yeah, I'm sorry too."

"Don't say it to me. Tell it to my Umbreon."

The two trainers stared at Sara, not entirely sure if she was joking or not. When her expression didn't change, they reluctantly mumbled half-hearted apologizes to the bitter Pokemon in her arms. The Umbreon muttered something in response that _definitely_ sounded like a direct insult, even if Sara didn't understand a word of it.

The next couple of minutes were particularly awkward. Sara tried her absolute best to maintain her 'angry face' while she stared down the two trainers, who were trying not to look nervous in front of her. Even the Pichu seemed a bit scared, as it had already retreated to a bush next to the dirt path to peek out timidly at her. The Chimchar just watched silently, taking in the entire scene with bemusement.

'_And now, for the finale.'_ Sara's eyes darted quickly between the two trainers while they exchanged uncomfortable looks with one another, until finally she gave a dour nod and trudged past them. Sara made sure to give the trainer with the green bandana one final, sidelong glare right as she passed, making him flinch. Jane followed close behind her, sauntering past the trainers with an unsympathetic, "Typhlos."

As Sara walked down the path towards the town, her feigned anger drained away, and she found it increasingly difficult to contain a fit of laughter that rose up in its place, tickling the back of her throat. _'Wow, that's…new,' _she thought, a grin slowly creeping over her face, _'I don't know what came over me, but it worked! And it was actually…kind of fun!' _The Umbreon grumbled bitterly in her hands, obviously agitated by this new turn of events, and Sara gave it another gentle pat on the head. _ '__I guess it does belong to me, now. If nothing else, this Umbreon will be safer in my hands__than in theirs.'_

When she reached the wide bend in the path, she heard the trainers talking about her.

"Wow, that girl was _really_ pissed off! I thought she was going to call Office Jenny on us!"

"Yeah, that was kinda' scary! I hope we don't run into her again…"

"That's for sure."

At that, Sara could no longer contain her laughter, and giggled to herself as she walked away, tightly grasping her new Umbreon in hand. And, just for a moment, when she disappeared around the bend in the path, it almost sounded like someone else was giggling quietly with her.


	8. Chapter 6: A Strange Reveal

**-Chapter 6: A Strange Reveal-**

**Cyndaquil **slogged down the path towards the lake, brushing clumps of dirt out of her fur with a paw. Pausing for a second, she gave herself a quick inspection, and then let out a frustrated groan. Her entire body was covered with a thin layer of dust and bits of rock, and there was now a sizable bump growing on the top of her head. For Cyndaquil, it was just another painful reminder of her close encounter with that stupid beast, Houndoom.

Then again, considering that Houndoom nearly _trampled_ her trying to catch Tomas, Cyndaquil had to count herself lucky to escape with just _one_ lump. She gingerly touched the knot on her head again, and then wrenched her paw away with a pained yelp. "What was I _thinking_, jumping in front of that monster? I must've lost my wits, thinking that I could do anything to stop Houndoom!"

Cyndaquil stared at the ground, sighing distractedly as she started walking again. "This really hasn't been one of my better days," she thought aloud, "and I _still_ don't know what's happened to Tomas." Considering how badly things turned out, she couldn't help but wonder if helping that confused little Umbreon had been such a good idea in the first place. She stopped in her tracks again, grumbling as she scratched the back of her sore head.

Why _did_ she care so much about his safety? She'd only met Tomas earlier that day, and they hadn't had much time to talk before Houndoom showed up. Maybe it was out of pity for the poor creature…

…or maybe…

"I really don't know _why_ I care," Cyndaquil quickly reasoned to herself, "but I do know that I can't just stand by and watch while one of my friends gets hurt! I've gotta' do something!"

She blinked several times, and then shook her head with a huff. "Also, I should _really_ stop talking to myself like this. It's not a very good habit to develop…"

The sound of laughter broke Cyndaquil from her external monologue, putting her on alert almost immediately as she scanned the area for any signs of a threat. The small Pokemon shrunk back when she spotted a human approaching from the beyond the wide bend in the path. _'Who's that? I need to hide!'_ Surrendering to her instincts, Cyndaquil made a frantic dash for the thick bushes lining the path and hid herself just as the trainer fully emerged onto view, barely avoiding detection. From her hiding place, she watched as a young female trainer strolled past, giggling to herself and holding an injured Umbreon tightly in her arms.

Cyndaquil gasped when she saw the embittered Pokemon in the trainer's clutches. _'Is that who I think it is?'_ she thought in disbelief, leaning a bit from her hiding spot to get a better look,_ 'Yeah, that's him, all right! That's Tomas! Thank Arceus he's okay!'_ Relieved at first, she started to call out to him, but then her words died in her throat, and she slumped a bit. _'I…I didn't know that he already had a trainer…' _

That sudden realization was followed by sobering disappointment; a sinking feeling that seemed to swell up in her throat, choking away her every breath. And yet, at the same time, she was thankful…even _happy_…for Tomas's wellbeing. Very quickly, it became a strange mix of feelings that made it nearly impossible for Cyndaquil to tell how she really felt about this new revelation. _'I…' _she finally added with some difficulty, _'…at least he's okay._'

She retreated back into the shadows of the bushes when a large Typhlosion walked right past her hiding spot, frowning. "Uh, Sara?" it said with a bit of worry, "Maybe we should hurry back to that Pokemon Center…ah, _quickly_. I really don't think the Umbreon can take too many more of your hugs."

"Wow," Cyndaquil murmured, "I…didn't know that there was a Typhlosion in this area, too…" She watched in silence as the female trainer and her Pokemon, still unaware of their small observer, disappeared from view behind a row of bushes further down the path. Once she was absolutely sure that they were gone, she stepped away from her hiding spot, breathing a heavy sigh._ 'I guess…this is it, huh?_ _Goodbye, Tom-'_

"Hey, Cyndaquil."

Cyndaquil almost had a heart attack when she heard the gruff voice rumble from somewhere behind her. She spun around with sharp gasp, and was met with a familiar, scowling muzzle. "H…Houndoom! It's you!"

"Of course it's me!" he replied with a scoff, "Who did _you_ think it was?"

"How did-where did you come from?"

Houndoom snorted and gave her a toothy grin. "I ducked into these bushes when I saw those other guys right behind me! At first, I thought they were chasing me, but it turned out they weren't…" He jerked his head in the direction of the female trainer. "…they were after _him_, the little Umbreon with the big mouth. Same as me."

Cyndaquil took an uneasy step towards him, paws raised. "Why are you still after Tomas? Are you really _that_ upset about what he said to you?"

"Not really," he growled indignantly, "as if I would hold a grudge with someone that scrawny and weak! It's because the master _told_ me to catch him! That, and the fact that I owe him some payback!"

'_But, isn't that holding a grudge?' _Cyndaquil thought derisively, almost rolling her eyes at Houndoom's horrible grasp of logic. She stifled that impulse, and continued trying to reason with the dim bulb. "But, he has a trainer! Are you gonna' attack his trainer, too?"

"She's not his trainer!"

"You can't-" Cyndaquil froze and stared at him, digesting this new information for a second before sputtering, "…s…she's not?"

"Of course she's not! I can smell it."

Cyndaquil raised an eyebrow at that. "You, uh…_smell_ it?"

Houndoom placed a paw to his muzzle, as if to prove his point. "Of course I can! What do you take me _floor_?"

"Ah, um…"

"Look," Houndoom rumbled, "if he were _her_ Pokemon, then they would have similar scents, because they would've been around each other. But, what I'm getting…" he paused to sniff the air again, "…is two entirely _different_ scents coming from their direction!"

"Uh, Houndoom?" Cyndaquil protested, eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Is…is that _really_ how scents work-"

"Of course it is! And, on top of that, I was hiding nearby when they crashed into each other! I specifically heard the human say that she 'found a new teammate.' That means that he isn't her Pokemon, yet!" The fanged brute crouched low, snarling as he continued, "All I need to do is take that Umbreon out _before_ the trainer leaves the forest with him."

Cyndaquil once again tried to object to his poor reasoning skills, but this time, she never got the chance. With one final low howl, Houndoom ducked alongside the bushes, stalking after his prey silently, waiting for his chance to attack. Frowning, she could do nothing but watch the dumb, dangerous beast slink away, off to make yet another horrible mistake. _'By Arceus! He's going after Tomas again, and I can't stop him!'_ She paced back and forth restlessly, trying to rack her brain for an answer. She froze with realization, and then smacked herself on the forehead. _'Of course! I know someone who can stop him! That's it! I'll find Todd and ask him for help! Houndoom would have to listen to him!'_

And with that, Cyndaquil sprinted off into the forest, hoping to find her master before it was too late.

* * *

><p><strong>Tomas<strong> almost fell asleep. Almost.

The pain in his body was finally starting to subside, only to be replaced with a creeping drowsiness that seemed to drain away all of his strength. He was tired, completely worn out by everything that he'd been put though, and all he wanted now was to just sleep it all away. Like another crazy dream…

He leaned back against a pair of soft pillows, and let out a sleepy yawn. He was so tired, so exhausted…and he _was_ already surrounded by a comforting warmth…

Nice, warm, pillows…

'_Wait a minute.'_

Tomas awoke with a start, eyes widened with uncertainty and fear, tail twitching anxiously as he looked around, trying to get his bearings. From the looks of it, he was still in the forest from that other dream, moving along the dirt path again...or _above_ it. _'Oh, right…I'm still in that crazy girl's arms…damn it.'_ He pushed that sour thought from his mind, and after a moment's hesitation, turned to look back at the 'pillows' he'd been laying against. And then he blushed under his fur. Those weren't pillows…at least, not the type of pillows that he'd been thinking of.

Tomas felt his cheeks burning with embarrassment from the realization. _'Why'd I even think they were pillows?' _he thought, utterly mortified, _'She was holding me in her arms!' _After taking a moment to recover from the initial shock, he turned and looked at them a second time. They were actually a fairly modest size, fitting in nicely with the girl's slender frame. Then again, compared to how small he was at the moment, they-

'_Having fun?' _the voice chimed again in his head, sounding even more energetic and cheerful than before. Which, of course, wasn't saying much.

"No," Tomas retorted, "just leave me alone."

'_Sorry, can't do that. And, since you're already well…"in hand"-'_

"Stop it."

'_-I think it's time to help you to get… "abreast" of the situation-'_

"Damn it! Shut up!"

"Hey, Umbreon! What's wrong with you?" the Typhlosion asked, walking alongside her trainer. She leaned in close and stared Tomas right in the face, eyebrows furrowed. "Are you some kind of weirdo?"

'_Hah! I totally called that one!'_

"That's great, Jane!" the girl trainer said, grinning, "It's really good to see the two of you bonding! Keep it up!"

Tomas groaned at her words. She obviously hadn't realized that 'Jane' had just insulted him. He cursed and shut his eyes, attempting to ignore the Typhlosion's persistent questions about his mental health and level of intelligence, and then focused solely on the voice in his head. _'Okay, you stupid voice,' _he thought angrily, _'What's going on? When will this idiotic dream finally end?'_

'_Dream?'_ the voice replied derisively, _'You still think this is a dream? Even after everything you've experienced so far? Wow, you're really deluded.'_

'_With dreams this intense, I wouldn't be surprised,'_ Tomas replied, wrinkling his muzzle. It was fairly obvious by now that this 'voice' wasn't taking him seriously. He took in a long, deep breath to calm himself, and then continued. _'You're a manipulative little jerk, but you seem to know a lot about what's happening to me. You also said earlier that you were trying to save my life?'_

'_I did say that, didn't I?'_ The voice paused for a moment, and then giggled. _'Are you finally starting to believe that this is real?'_

Tomas scoffed at that question. _'Yeah, right. I'll decide that for myself.'_ He shifted in his captor's arms, wincing from a sudden jolt in his hind leg. With everything that he'd been through, Tomas had almost forgotten about the cramp that developed back when he was still running for his life. _'Ah, o…okay, how's about we start with the easy questions. Like, for example, who exactly are you?' _

That brought another giggle from his invisible tormentor. _'So, you want to see who I am, do you? Okay, give me a minute.'_

Tomas waited impatiently while the voice in his head went mercifully silent. And as he sat there, in the warm embrace of this girl trainer, with his limbs beginning to throb once again from overexertion…he began to feel a strange sort of realization wash over him. In spite of his past claims, he really had no clue what to make of this dream…if it was, in fact, a dream. Maybe this _was_ real…and maybe he _was_ an Umbreon. But, if that was the case, then how? How is it possible for these things to happen to him? And more importantly, what would life be like if he had to spend the rest of it as a Pokemon? As someone's _pet_?

He opened his eyes and stared up into the huge forest surrounding him, and then flinched from the sunlight shining in his face. That…hurt his eyes a bit. Just like the pain he'd felt before, when he first woke up. He'd ignored it at the time, but…it was real, and it actually hurt. Slowly, he moved his injured hind leg again, and winced. That hurt, too…but it didn't seem possible. It couldn't be. _'Is…is this really real? Maybe…' _

Starting to hyperventilate, he brought a paw to his muzzle, tapping it against the tip of his nose, and shivering from the touch. _'It all feels…much too real to be a dream…so maybe…I really did-'_

'_Okay, I'm ready,'_ the voice said, interrupting the bemused Umbreon's thoughts. _'Look to your left, up in the trees.'_

'_Uh…what?' _Tomas turned and stared up into the trees lining the left side of the dirt path, squinting as he attempted to see something there. It was difficult for him to make out anything distinct while the girl trainer kept holding him so close as she walked; the rise and fall of her footsteps preventing him from being able to focus on any single target. As a result, he could only recognize the familiar, distorted visage of the same swaying tree branches and thick bunches of leaves that he'd seen all day. But then, he caught a glimpse of a sudden, blurred movement in the trees, just above his peripheral vision. Movement and…

…a flash of pink.

'_Ah, damn.'_

'_Did you see me? Did ya?' _the voice chimed again in his head, _'I know you did! I can tell! So, do you know who am I now?'_

Tomas slumped sullenly in the girl trainer's arms, and answered, _'…Mew. You're a Mew.'_

That brought on another excited giggle echoing into his mind. _'Yep! You got me!'_

'_Well, it's not like there's a lot of other small, pink, floating Pokemon with psychic abilities that I can think of in this world. Which, to be honest, answers at least one of my questions.'_

'_Oh, really? Which one?'_

'_Well, now I know for sure that none of this is real,'_ he replied with a huff, _'This is just another one of your tricks, isn't it? Let me out of this hallucination, you pink lunatic!'_

Mew paused for a moment, apparently taken aback by his response. _'You know, that's the third time I've been called that in my entire life.'_

'_You know, I'm not all that surprised.'_

'_You probably wouldn't be,' _Mew retorted,_ 'Also, sorry to disappoint, but this isn't a hallucination. Stop acting so-'_

'_Of course it's a hallucination!' _Tomas thought, scowling, _'You're doing this to me with some sort of telepathic ability, right? What, did I accidentally fall asleep under your favorite tree or something? Is that it? Is this some sort of karmic punishment from above?'_

Tomas caught another flash of pink from out the corner of his eye, swiftly moving between two large tree branches. Of course, by the time he'd looked up, it was already gone. His cheerful captor and her Typhlosion didn't seem to notice, which only frustrated Tomas more.

'_Well, you certainly seem all fired up again!' _Mew echoed in his head, _'Tell you what; if you make it back to town, I'll see if I can help you sort things out!'_

The Umbreon snorted derisively. _'Sort things out? What-'_

'_And on a more cheerful note, it looks like you've adapted to walking like an Umbreon pretty well. I'm actually impressed!'_

Tomas recoiled at Mew's statement, and then glanced down at his paws. He hadn't even realized how quickly he'd gotten the hang of moving on four legs-most likely because of his preoccupation with escaping constant threats. Simply put, he'd run so much that he actually failed to grasp the fact that he had _learned_ how to run. _'That's your new instincts kicking in, fuzzy,'_ Mew added, _'You should probably get used to them.'_

Ignoring the psychic for now, Tomas moved each paw experimentally, and then flinched from the stabbing pain in his hind leg again. _'Crap, I forgot about that leg! It still hurts.'_

'_Also, while we're on the subject, here's a bit of free advice,'_ Mew stated, suddenly serious. It was the first time that Tomas had ever heard the pink telepath speak with any hint of authority…and frankly, it both surprised and scared him a bit. _'Pokemon language and human language aren't so different from each other.'_

'_What?'_

'_Sure, there may be a restriction or two on what syllables Pokemon are capable of using, but those restrictions can eventually be broken with enough practice. It's kind of like how humans can learn different languages by focusing on syllable sounds, and then connecting them to form spoken words with meanings. Of course, for most Pokemon there's usually a price that has to be paid for accomplishing this feat.'_

Tomas furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. _'What are you talking about? And why are you telling me this?'_

'_Simple,'_ Mew replied bluntly, _'because you won't be as useful to me without the ability to communicate effectively with your new trainer.'_

'_Wha…?'_ Tomas found himself at a loss for words after hearing that. Unable to do much else, he tried to come up with a proper response; something witty, astute, and sarcastic that would properly express his confusion and anger at the Mew. Instead, all he could muster was, _'Wh…y…you! I…wha…what are you up to?'_

He heard the Mew giggle again, apparently back to it's normal, giddy self. _'Silly Umbreon, don't you remember? I said that I'd tell you once you made it back to town.'_

'_L…leave me alone!'_

'_Sorry, can't help you there! Now, get ready!'_

Tomas felt his blood run cold at its cryptic words, and was almost too afraid to ask. _'Uh…ready for what?_' His heart skipped a beat when the Mew went completely mute in his head, leaving him to his own isolated thoughts. _'Mew?' _There was still no answer from the psychic Pokemon, and after a few seconds of unnerving silence, it dawned on the Umbreon that an answer would never come.

"Ah, crap."

* * *

><p><strong>Sara<strong> was starting to get tired. _Very_ tired.

It didn't take her long to realize that she had made a _serious_ miscalculation with her new Pokemon. She didn't want to admit it, but it felt like the Umbreon was actually getting…_heavier_ as she held it. Judging from its size in her arms, Sara had guessed that it couldn't be tall enough to reach her knees when standing on all fours…and that placed it at no more than about 2 feet in height. _'I just don't get it,' _Sara thought, her smile fading,_ 'How can something this small weigh so much? It's such a scrawny little thing, so where's this weight coming from?' _

Several times Sara had considered using a Pokeball to make the pint-sized fuzzball easier to carry, but each time, she decided against it. The Umbreon wasn't _that_ badly hurt, and offering comfort to it now could prove worthwhile in the future. This kind of stuff was covered in her Pokemon Trainer's Guide, so she knew that getting a Pokemon to feel comfortable around their new trainer-especially early in their relationship-would be very important when it came to developing trust and establishing a strong bond with them.

Knowing all of this, Sara simply gave a soft groan, and forced herself to endure.

The Umbreon started trembling again, growling as it shifted restlessly in her arms. "It's okay, little fellow," she said tenderly, giving it another gentle pat on the head, "I'm not going to hurt you. Just relax." The injured Pokemon just gave her a resigned "Umbre" in response, and then stared at the ground near her feet, frowning.

'_Well,'_ Sara thought with a sigh, _'at least it's not trying to jump out of my arms anymore.' _Which was a miracle in itself, considering how hard it was to ignore the Umbreon's weight when it _wasn't_ struggling in her arms. By now, her limbs were just starting to burn from exhaustion, and even her fingers were beginning to throb a bit. _'Maybe I should just think about something else besides the weight…'_

With some effort, Sara cleared her mind and focused on her future with this rare Pokemon on her team. She envisioned falling asleep each night under the comforting glow from the Umbreon's rings, and then waking up each morning to the cheerful, affectionate calls of her personal 'family' of Pokemon, all of whom would love her unconditionally. _'Oh, it's all so perfect,' _Sara added in thought, grinning once more,_ 'and I know that Jane, Leddy, and Star will happily accept my new Umbreon into the family!'_

Her mind then drifted to the epic battles she would fight with this new addition to her group. The Umbreon, with proper training, could give her team exactly the edge they need to finally defeat the Oreburgh and Veilstone City gyms. She blushed at the thought of collecting her last two badges and finally completing the Sinnoh region. And then, maybe…

…just maybe, she could make her father proud. And it would all happen because of…this unnamed Umbreon. Sara blinked at the thought, and glanced down to her new Pokemon. _'Oh, I forgot about that! What should I name the little guy? Harold? Jason? Fred? Nah, not Fred…'_

"Typhlosion! Ty!"

Jane's call awoke Sara from her thoughts, and she looked around…breathing a sigh of relief. She could finally see the end of the dirt path, leading out of the chaotic forest and back into the relative comfort of Twinleaf Town. After a long day of walking, running, and falling on her face, she had made it back to the forest entrance. Sara would've actually jumped for joy if the Umbreon hadn't been weighing her down, and if her fingers didn't start to ache again. "Ah! Ow!"

Jane tapped her trainer on the shoulder anxiously. "Typhlos?"

"No, I'm okay. This little guy is a heavy one." She awkwardly shifted the Umbreon's weight to one arm so that she could inspect her hands. The skin on her fingers was beginning to turn a purplish-blue color, and hurt every time she moved them. _'Ow…maybe that fall hurt me a bit more than I thought…'_ She turned to her concerned Typhlosion, sporting a comforting smile. "Oh, don't worry about me! Come on, let's hurry up and get back to the town. After we stop by the Pokemon Center to take care of the Umbreon, I think I'm going to just sleep for the rest of the day."

Jane stopped behind Sara, her ears perking up. "Ty?"

"Yep, we'll finally be out of this crazy forest, Jane!"

"Typhlosion? Ty, _typhlos_!"

"Ah? What's up, Jane?" Sara started to laugh, but froze when she heard shuffling in the bushes ahead of her, followed by a low, rumbling growl. Before the young trainer could even react, the Typhlosion slid in front of her, paws raised as she growled ferociously at her newest opponent. _'What's…happening now? Is it another attack?'_ After a moment's hesitation, Sara leaned to one side, glancing around her Pokemon's body to see this new threat…and then she gasped.

There was a Houndoom standing in front of the forest entrance, crouched low in a battle stance. It affixed its eyes on Sara, and another, louder growl rumbled from its throat. Smoke was billowing from its muzzle, filling the air with the thick smell of ashes and molten rock.

Obviously, it wasn't going to let them leave the forest without a fight.

"HOUN, HOUNDOOM!" it roared at the young trainer, making her cringe with dread.

Sara took an uneasy step back, holding the Umbreon tighter. "Oh…guess I spoke too soon."

Snarling, the Houndoom bared its fangs, and stalked closer to its prey.


	9. Chapter 7: A Fight for Survival

**Note from the Author**:

EDIT (2/12/13): I rewrote this one a little bit, and gave the story some much needed tweaks! New chapter is still coming soon, count on it!

* * *

><p><strong>-Chapter 7: A Fight for Survival-<strong>

**Mew** was just moving into position when the first explosions rang out across the forest.

Quickly and without a sound, the pink psychic floated into a tall oak tree, making itself comfortable amongst the thick bunches of leaves that easily concealed its small body. From there, it levitated upwards through the foliage and sat down on a large branch that stretched over the dirt path, low enough to offer a great view of the action, but still high enough to keep from being seen. Which, of course, was _perfect_ for its needs.

Settling in, the Mew giggled to itself, barely able to mask the growing excitement-and anxiety-at this latest turn of events. This was _it_; finally, the moment of truth had come for the bitter Umbreon, his determined trainer, and their ferocious foe, Houndoom. All of the psychic's plans, its efforts, and all of the risks it had taken…_especially_ the risks…everything would hinge on the outcome of this single confrontation. For Mew, it was a huge gamble, the results of which could reach well beyond this tiny forest. And, if things didn't work out…well…

…it could only hope that they did.

'_Okay…not exactly the fight I was hoping for…' _Mew thought, its long tail starting to twitch eagerly, _'…but still, this should be very interesting to watch.'_

Grinning, it looked down at the Typhlosion named 'Jane,' a fire-type Pokemon tall enough to literally stand face to face with her own trainer. '_Well, Jane's definitely got a nice advantage here in height, weight…and intelligence.' _It leaned forward to study the growling Houndoom just below. '_Still, I'd say that Houndoom probably has the higher endurance…and he's pretty vicious.'_

Mew's smile began to wane at that thought, and its large blue eyes shifted over to the Umbreon in the girl trainer's arms. '_Looks like a close match to me…let's see what happens next.'_

Meanwhile, Sara was retreating to a safe distance away from the battle zone, clutching her embittered prize defensively. She took in slow, rhythmic breaths to calm her nerves a bit, and then turned to face the Houndoom with a final, relaxed exhale. "Ah…alright, Jane! Use Flamethrower again!"

"Got it!" Jane roared, flames _erupting_ from her back like a raging bonfire, licking hungrily at the air above her. She raised her head, jaws locked while fire and molten liquid gathered in her throat…and then she opened her mouth wide with a loud cry, unleashing the sweltering inferno out across the dirt path.

Houndoom easily dove out of the way, kicking up clouds of dust as the fiery stream swept harmlessly past him. The attack continued down the path, curving downwards until it burst against the ground with a _FLOOSH_, sending streaks of fire sailing in all directions. The remaining flames fizzled out quickly, leaving behind soot-blackened scars on the ground, and a lingering burnt smell in the air.

Mew wrinkled its nose at the harsh scent, covering its mouth with a paw to suppress a sneeze. _'Wow…ah, I'm starting to think that maybe it wasn't such a good idea to watch a fire fight from a tree branch…I might get myself burned by one of those attacks!'_

"What? Is that the best you can do?" Houndoom growled, crouching into his usual battle stance, "Because if _that's_ the case, then you should just hand over that big-mouthed runt right now…before I _really_ get angry!"

"Get as angry as you want, Houndoom!" Jane snarled back, "You don't scare me!"

Tomas pushed himself up a bit from Sara's trembling arms, making her wince as she tried to keep a tight grip on him. "H-hey, uh…Jane, is it? Be careful around that Houndoom! He's dangerous!"

"So, the Umbreon _finally_ speaks to me…" the Typhlosion replied flatly. She rolled her eyes in his direction, and added, "Do you know this guy?"

"Who, Houndoom?" Tomas muttered under his breath, "_Well_…if, by 'knowing him,' you mean that I'm utterly _terrified_ of the slobbering psychopath…then yeah. I know him very well."

"Oh."

"Hey! I heard that!" Houndoom rumbled, streams of ashen smoke rising from between his clenched fangs, "You're gonna' _pay_ for that one, you stupid little ball of fuzz!" He glared at the Typhlosion for a moment, and then set his sights on the startled Umbreon. "After I'm done with her, _YOU'RE_ NEXT!"

At that, Tomas retreated back into his captor's arms, raising a paw to his muzzle to suppress a fearful yelp. On the tree branch above, Mew did a similar gesture, but only to stifle another fit of laughter. _'Oh, that Tomas will never learn, will he?_'

"Ah! Um…new strategy, Jane!" Sara called out, still struggling to keep a grip on the Umbreon, "Get in close and keep that Houndoom on the defensive! Use Quick Attack!"

"Okay, Sara!" Jane stooped low, then charged full speed at Houndoom. Her body became a sudden blur of rapid movement as she weaved back and forth across the path, deftly avoiding the Ember attacks from her opponent, every shot exploding harmlessly around her paws. Then she somersaulted over another barrage of molten rock and ash that slammed into a tree trunk instead, showering the dirt path with splinters and chunks of smoldering wood.

Meanwhile, the pink psychic was leaning lower on the branch, its eyes following the battle in earnest, mouth open with genuine surprise. _'Look at that! She's a lot more agile than I thought! I bet he didn't see that one coming!'_

Jane landed a few feet away, then sped directly at her frustrated opponent. Smoke pouring out of his muzzle, Houndoom was still struggling to catch his breath when he heard the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps. He glanced up in time to see the Typhlosion looming over him, paw raised to strike.

"AH! You-!" Houndoom ducked and rolled away on the ground, barely escaping Jane's powerful claw swipe as it tore up the ground near his paws. Following his body's momentum, Houndoom bounced upright and then leapt backwards, avoiding another swing from the Typhlosion as she closed the distance between them again.

"Hold still!" Jane growled as she kept up the assault, forcing the horned beast back with frenzied swipes. It wasn't until they had reached the forest entrance that Houndoom managed to sidestep and counter with another Ember attack. She jumped back a few steps when it exploded on the ground in front of her, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris. Then Houndoom crouched low and charged headfirst into the rising smoke, curved horns lowered.

Hidden by the smoke, Jane didn't even see him coming until it was too late. Houndoom's horns slammed into her midsection, sending the surprised Typhlosion spiraling to the ground with a pained squeal. She quickly bounced back onto her paws and growled angrily at Houndoom, both forepaws clenched, the flames on her back swelling with barely-contained fury.

"Hey! Calm down, Jane!" Sara yelled out, taking a few steps forward. "Stay focused! Don't let that Houndoom upset you!"

The Typhlosion flinched, but calmed herself, and the flames on her back quickly dwindled. She turned to glance at her trainer, face flush with embarrassment. "Oh, r-right. Sorry, Sara."

Houndoom was still chuckling triumphantly when he noticed the Typhlosion already fast approaching, her fangs bared and eyes narrowed. He fired off another Ember attack, but she simply sidestepped it and kept coming.

"Get…back…you-!" Houndoom roared as the larger Pokemon cornered him again, her powerful claw swipes almost forcing him against the bushes. "GET BACK!" Then he slid to a stop and _sprung_ forward with an enraged howl, pouncing on Jane with mouth opened wide, attempting to bite her to pieces.

"Dodge it, Jane!" Sara commanded, "Then counter with Quick Attack!"

The Typhlosion paused, and then spun away on one paw before Houndoom had time to react, nimbly evading while he sailed right past her. Houndoom's jaws clamped down on empty air, drawing a startled whine from his muzzle when he hit the ground _hard _and stumbled forward awkwardly.

"Whoa…" Tomas murmured as he watched the battle unfold, "she's…pretty fast…"

"A-ah! You little-" Houndoom growled as he struggled to maintain his balance. He whirled around to face his opponent, just in time to catch the Typhlosion's forepaw square in the face, smacking him clear off his paws. The impact sent Houndoom rolling across the dirt path, clouds of dust and unsettled ash trailing behind him until he tumbled into a heap on the ground, letting out a low moan.

"Take that!" Jane growled from behind the battered Pokemon, arms folded, a victorious grin spread across her face.

'_Wow! This is great!' _Mew noted from above, its long tail twirling aimlessly behind it. How long had it been since anything _this_ exciting had gone down? The pink psychic turned, shoving away a cluster of leaves to study Houndoom's trembling form lying near the forest entrance. _'Ouch! It looks like Jane's got a bit of a temper, too! That was totally a revenge smack!' _

"Nice one!" Sara called out, wincing from the ache in her arms. "Keep it up!"

Mew watched on with a grin when Houndoom scrambled back to his paws, head lowered as he stifled a pained whine. Slowly, he stared up at the Typhlosion, his expression a mixture of shock and indignation, his fragile ego obviously hurt more than anything else. Then his red eyes shifted to the tense Umbreon in the trainer's arm. Then, he glanced back at his opponent, giving her a low growl.

And, for just a moment, Mew could've sworn that there was the tiniest hint of…_doubt_ on his face. It was probably the first time that he'd been faced with such an imbalance of strength in his opponent. Well, at least in one that he didn't respect.

Maybe…this was _it_. Was the snarling beast finally starting to come to his senses?

"Argh! You _worthless_ sacks of fur!" Houndoom practically screamed, "I'LL TEACH YOU NOT TO MESS WITH ME!"

'_Oh, right,' _Mew corrected with a curt chuckle, _'I forgot…he's an idiot.'_

The horned moron crouched low, eyes narrowed to slits. Smoke began to pour from his nostrils as smoldering rock and ash pooled in his mouth. Molten liquid seeped out of his bulging cheeks as he growled-or rather _gurgled_-bitterly at his opponents. Then, with a final ear-piecing roar, he fired off the strongest Ember attack he could muster.

"Jane!" Sara cried out, squeezing the horrified Umbreon tightly, "Flamethrower, GO!"

The Typhlosion gathered as much fire and molten liquid into her throat as possible, then quickly unleashed the massive inferno into the incoming volley.

Mew's heart skipped a beat when the two powerful attacks _slammed_ into each other just below its hiding place in the trees. The molten mass roiled in midair, building in force as the two Pokemon maintained their fiery assault…until finally, the unstable energy of their attacks couldn't be contained any longer. The resulting explosion _rocked_ the arena, sweeping both Pokemon away and drowning out their yelps of surprise with a deafening roar.

Meanwhile, Mew was hanging on for dear life as the tree shook violently from the impact, holding up a paw to keep the thinner, flailing branches from slapping it in the face. _'OW! O-okay, hiding in a tree to watch this battle…definitely not my best idea!'_

The explosion faded quickly, leaving behind a rumbling echo in the distance, and a wall of thick, billowing smoke that spread over the dirt path, concealing the fate of the two Pokemon.

Tomas just sat there, muzzle hanging open, staring at the rising smoke with bated breath.

"JANE!" Sara cried out, hugging the Umbreon defensively as she turned away from the hail of debris that crumbled around her, "Jane! Are you okay!?"

From the branch overhead, Mew could only share their anticipation, eyes widening as it watched the debris cloud, hoping to catch a glimpse of the two shell-shocked opponents. Or, at the very least…what was _left_ of them. _'Well! Not bad for a couple of ordinary Pokemon!' _the pink psyhic thought, its small body tense from excitement, long tail flicking about erratically, _'I should've been watching Pokemon battles a long time ago!' _

It broke from that thought, frowning a bit as it glanced down at the girl trainer and her golden-ringed trophy. _'But then again…' _it added with some trepidation,_ '…I've never had anything important at stake in a Pokemon battle before…' _

Mew focused in on the Umbreon's dumbfounded expression, and stifled a giggle. _'You'd better be watching this very carefully, Tomas. You're going to be involved in a lot of important battles soon…'_

* * *

><p><strong>Cyndaquil<strong> was scurrying through the forest, trying in vain to ignore the sounds of battle that echoed from the nearby dirt path. Her heart thudded like a jackhammer with each hurried step, her breathing ragged as she struggled to swallow away her anxiety. Every explosion she heard seemed to strike at the very ground she moved on, sending violent shockwaves through her tiny body like electricity, leaving her disoriented and nauseous, and irritating the painful bump on her head.

"M-master Todd!," she called out between ragged pants, "Where…are…you!?"

It was fairly obvious by now that her self-imposed mission of finding her master…_wasn't_ going to work. At first, she'd assumed that Todd must be nearby-probably still training in the forest with the other Pokemon-in which case she would lead him to Houndoom before any damage was done. Which _sounded_ like a good plan…in theory. But, after several minutes of fruitless, exhaustive searching, she decided instead to just return to the rest area, where her master's campsite stood. If Todd wasn't in the forest, then he _had_ to be there.

"Almost there!" she thought aloud as she pushed onwards, bounding around tall oaks and diving through the foliage. "Oh! Why is Houndoom _always _causing trouble for everyone!?"

Of course, considering Houndoom's intelligence-or lack thereof-it really a pointless question to ask. Still, Cyndaquil asked anyway. It was all she could do to contain her frustration at Houndoom for everything he'd done to her and Tomas. There was no denying it…that horned _idiot_ was at the center of this whole mess. And now, thanks to _him_, she had no choice but to locate her master…and soon.

Thankfully, the forest ended just beyond the next clearing, at another row of bushes set adjacent to the ones bordering the dirt path. From there, she'd only need to cross the small expanse of open field before she'd reach the rest area, where she hoped to find her master.

And then…she could save Tomas from that _horrible_ beast!

"…almost…there…" Cyndaquil repeated, dashing through the thick undergrowth into the last clearing as fast as her stubby legs could carry her. The forest exit was right there in front of her, just a few feet away! All she had to do was escape without being caught up in the battle raging on the dirt trail, and then she'd be home free! Just-

"Argh! You _worthless_ sacks of fur! I'LL TEACH YOU NOT TO MESS WITH ME!"

"That's…_ah_!" The small Pokemon cried out, "…Houndoom!?" She almost froze in her tracks right there. Instead, she fought down the urge and kept moving, turning her face away from the battle. "N-no! I have…to keep going!"

Cyndaquil was almost out of the forest when she was startled by a sudden, massive explosion that almost threw her off balance. She fought to keep upright while another shockwave shot up her spine, the sudden nausea and dizziness making her sick to her stomach. Dazed and shaken, Cyndaquil didn't even notice the large debris cloud rising from the dirt path that showered the clearing with bits of dirt, rock, and ashes. Nor did she see the large chunk of smoldering wood coming until it bounced off the ground right in front of her, just barely missing her long snout. "Wha-ahh!"

The shaken Pokemon stumbled through the final set of bushes leading out of the forest, at last escaping into the open, grassy field. Once outside, she paused for just a moment, staring at the smoke rising from the forest entrance. And then she took off again, letting out a small whimper.

As she quickly approached the rest area, Cyndaquil could see a few camping tents and sleeping bags surrounding a large campfire pit, already lit in preparation for nightfall. Two tall oaks were set on opposite sides of the small clearing, their long branches a home for flying Pokemon nestling in the leaves. The neatly trimmed grass under Cyndaquil's paws had been littered with bits of trash, and the smell of campfire ashes and heated Poke-food wafted lightly in the air, making her belly rumble with hunger.

Wearily, she trudged through the campgrounds, ignoring the excited buzz of a few humans and Pokemon, most of whom were too concerned with the explosion to even notice her moving around their legs. She collapsed just outside her master's tent as the flame on her back completely fizzled out from exhaustion. _'Oh, please be inside, master…'_ she pleaded mentally, _'I could really use your help!'_

Then, she sucked in as much air as her lungs could carry…and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"M-MASTER TODD!"

* * *

><p><strong>Tomas<strong> stared into the debris cloud rolling across the dirt path, eyes widened and muzzle agape with utter astonishment. Bits of dirt and rocks were raining down from above, crumbling around the Umbreon and his stunned captor…but he didn't see it. The smell of ashes in the air stung his sensitive nose and eyes, but he didn't even feel it. The only thing that seemed to penetrate the vague numbness of his mind at that moment…was the epic Pokemon battle that had just taken place.

"JANE!" the girl trainer yelled from above Tomas' head, jolting him from his stupor, "Jane! Are you okay!?" She turned away from the falling debris, arms trembling as she squeezed the Umbreon tightly out of concern for her Typhlosion.

A few moments passed before the girl and the Umbreon both returned their attention to the spreading smoke, checking anxiously for any sign of the two Pokemon…but to no avail. Aside from the rolling smoke, there was no other movement. And no sound except the rumbling echo in the distance, and a slight ringing in their own ears.

With the action apparently over, Tomas relaxed in the girl trainer's grasp, finally able to close his mouth as he began to come to his senses. By now, the cramp in his leg had faded, leaving behind only a faint ache and a persistent tightness. His thick tail hung limply under him, just barely managing a feeble twitch of its own volition. All of his muscles felt weak and sluggish from exhaustion. And yet, the adrenaline _still_ surged through his small body. Mixed with fear and frustration, it was more than enough to keep his weary mind painfully awake.

Ruminating on recent events, it dawned on Tomas that having his fate decided by a simple Pokemon battle…was actually both horrifying _and_ humiliating. But mostly horrifying. Sure, it would've been fun and exciting if _he_ were the human, sitting back and commanding the Pokemon from a safe distance…but as the _Pokemon _being fought over, it was quite easily the scariest thing he had ever been forced to experience.

In fact, if Tomas hadn't been so utterly engrossed by the Pokemon battle itself, he probably would've given in to hysteria. Again. But eventually, even _that_ growing fascination with the battle started to feel a bit…_peculiar_ to the Umbreon. It began as a tiny nagging thought, a distant desire that had emerged from some remote corner of his mind, slowly intensifying…until it became almost impossible to ignore. For some reason, the more Tomas watched the two Pokemon clash, the more it seemed to…_appeal_ to him.

The thrill of facing a new opponent…the allure of having those incredible abilities at his fingertips…well, his _paws_…

…maybe _he_ should be out there…battling, too?

'_Wait, no!'_ Tomas thought, recoiling visibly. What the _hell_ was happening to him?! Was it more of those 'instincts' that Mew had mentioned earlier? He knew that he'd felt something similar before, but it was never _this_ strong…

…was he slowly being _consumed_ by these feral impulses? Would he even still be himself when it was all over? _'Damn it all!' _he sulked, fangs bared in frustration, _'What did that Mew do to me?!'_

The more he tried to make sense of it all, the more confusing it all became. Like, what was the deal with his captor?! Thanks to the Typhlosion, he at least knew that the girl's name was 'Sara,' but that was it. Was Mew somehow connected to this girl, too?

Also, why the _hell_ were her arms shaking so much!? Was he really _that_ heavy?

Tomas never had the chance to finish his thoughts. Sharp shuffling sounds started up from within the swirling debris cloud as the battle suddenly resumed, every movement punctuated with the muffled growls and roars of the two unseen Pokemon. And then, after a brief pause, Jane _burst_ out of the smoky haze, leaping backwards while Houndoom bounded after her, howling like a deranged beast, his fangs snapping frantically at the air. The two battered Pokemon slid to a stop on the dirt path, kicking up more dirt and soot into the already dissipating debris cloud, glaring at each other in a bitter standoff.

'_Whoa…' _Tomas thought, barely masking his awe, _'…they took that explosion head on…and can still fight? I'm…actually impressed…' _

Still, despite their durability, it was fairly obvious that neither Pokemon was invincible. Even from a distance, Tomas could see the thick layers of dirt and ash that obscured Houndoom's trembling form, making him resemble some horrible untamed monster. He was practically wheezing for air while smoke poured from his open muzzle, tongue hanging out as he coughed up chunks of molten rock and ash, apparently having overexerted himself with that last, reckless attack. And it almost looked like one of Houndoom's horns had been…_cracked_…though Tomas was too far away to be sure.

All in all, the poor, stupid beast had looked so wretched in appearance that it would've been pretty difficult for anyone not to feel at least _some_ sympathy for him...

…well, anyone except Tomas.

'_Hah! He injured himself with that huge attack?' _he thought derisively, studying the pained expression on Houndoom's face, _'What a moron!'_

And with that bit of good news to brighten his day, the Umbreon turned to Jane, who actually seemed to be in better condition…but not by much. Her body from still smoking from the heat of the explosion, her fur matted with thick clumps of dirt, ash, and rock. She was crouched over with fatigue, pointed ears laid back, panting heavily as the flames on her back started to burn low. Obviously, that last Flamethrower-and the massive explosion that followed-had taken its toll on her as well.

"Jane! Thank goodness you're okay!" Sara blurted out with a relieved sigh, "A-are you okay!? Can you still fight?"

"Don't…worry…" Jane replied, breathing heavily as she forced herself upright, the flames on her back starting to flare up again, "…I'm not done yet!" She shot a scathing look at Houndoom, forepaws clenched in anger and disbelief. "You! What were you _thinking_? You could've _killed _all of us with that last attack…especially Sara!"

"Well…n-now you know…" Houndoom managed to slur, spraying molten liquid across the ground, "…_not_ to take me lightly!"

"You…_idiot_!" she roared, raising both paws, "I'm going to _beat_ _you into the ground_!"

Tomas just stared blankly at the Typhlosion in surprise. _'Yeah…she's kinda scary, too…'_

"Jane! That Houndoom's almost done!" Sara called out, her voice starting to strain. She took a few heavy steps closer to the battle zone, her arms shaking under Tomas's weight. "We…ah, need to end this…_quickly_! F-finish it off with Double Edge!"

"You got it!" Jane replied with a grin, obviously content with that command. She stooped low, fangs bared at the horned Pokemon. "You had this coming, Houndoom…for putting Sara at risk!"

Her opponent simply gave a low, indignant rumble at that, crouching into his own battle stance with head lowered, letting molten liquid drip from his muzzle in steaming droplets and ashen smoke billow into the air in thin, wispy puffs.

Tomas leaned forward in Sara's weakening grasp, breathing shallow as the two fatigued Pokemon charged each other head-on, both eager to deliver the finishing blow. His heart thudded heavily in his chest as he watched the battle conclude. _'T-this is it!'_ he thought with a cringe, his tail starting to twitch from a fresh surge of adrenaline, _'If, by some miracle, I manage to survive this…I'm really going to hurt that Mew!'_

Time almost seemed to slow as the two bitter rivals clashed for the last time. Houndoom pounced first, moments after Jane came within striking distance. An Ember attack was already brewing in his throat, molten liquid trailing behind him as he leapt through the air. He let out a final roar as he began to descend upon his weary foe…

…but he never got the chance to strike. Houndoom could only recoil in horror as Jane ducked under him with a single, quick maneuver…and then threw herself upward into his still-airborne body. His attacker almost seemed to glow when she _slammed_ into him with everything she had, drawing a loud yelp of pain from both Pokemon on impact.

However, only _Houndoom_ was sent skyward. His body tumbled wildly through the air before he bounced hard off the ground, letting out a sharp whine. He rolled for several feet, and then slid to a stop near the forest entrance amid clouds of dust and unsettled soot. Jane landed on the dirt path a moment later, crouching low and holding her freshly-sprained shoulder with a paw.

"Jane! Y-you did it!" Sara called out to her Pokemon, "That was…incredible!"

The Typhlosion paused to catch her breath, and then grinned at her trainer. "Well, I don't know about _incredible_, but thank you, Sara!"

Well, it certainly _looked_ like the battle was over. Leaning a bit from Sara's arms again, Tomas scanned the smoldering wreckage of the dirt path, searching for any sign of the horned moron. It took him a while with all of the dust and soot floating around, but he eventually found Houndoom huddled in one of several large smoking craters, motionless. Finally reassured, Tomas let out a long, grateful sigh…and then chuckled. "_That's_ a knockout…"

Of course, even with Houndoom out of commission, things were far from okay. In fact, it only gave him more questions to think about. Like, what _exactly_ was he supposed to do now? Could he escape this girl, Sara? And what about Mew? Tired as he was, it was becoming difficult to push through the adrenaline-addled recesses of his mind and concentrate on anything distinct. Maybe he should take a moment and-

Tomas thoughts were cut short when he felt himself suddenly slip from Sara's trembling hands. She managed to catch the Umbreon by his forepaws just before he hit the ground, which stretched their sore muscles at the same time, making them both cry out in unison. "Ah! Damn it!"

With a low groan, Sara struggled to gather the bitter Pokemon back into her arms, apologizing profusely for her rough treatment. "Ugh…Jane? I…can't hold him…ah…any longer! Um, _help_!"

"O-okay!" Jane said anxiously as she hurried to her trainer's side, paws outstretched, "Just give him to me! I'll hold him for you!"

"YOU'RE ALL DONE FOR!"

All three of them froze when they heard the loud cry that practically _exploded _from the dirt path. They turned in time to see the battered and beaten Houndoom lumbering towards them, eyes narrowed with clear malicious intent, an Ember attack bubbling up from the back of his throat even as molten liquid dribbled from his muzzle like saliva. Apparently, even in his weakened state, the stubborn beast _still_ refused to let the girl trainer and the two Pokemon leave.

Without another word, the persistent monster pounced on the entire group, ready to fire his attack without any regard for the human trainer caught in the middle. Injured and exhausted, Jane barely had enough time to move in front of Sara, raising her good arm defensively at the deranged Houndoom. Sara turned away at the last minute to shield the Umbreon, screaming as she waited to feel the scorching heat from the horned beast's final attack.

"HOUNDOOM, STOP!"

Before anyone could react, a bright crimson light lanced through the air and caught Houndoom from behind. His body froze in mid-air, the Ember attack already starting to pour from his open mouth in steaming globs, and then he disappeared into the glow emanating from a Pokeball. Sara and the two Pokemon could only stare in breathless relief at the life-saving orb for several seconds…and then their collective eyes slowly lifted to the exasperated teenager holding it.

"Looks like we got here just in time, Master!" a Sableye said, standing next to the teen. It took a quick glance around the smoldering remains of the dirt path, and rubbed its large, crystalline eyes in disbelief. "Wow…just look at this place! Houndoom _wrecked_ it!"

After a moment's hesitation, the teen let out a long sigh, and slipped the Pokeball into his pocket. Then he turned to look at the bewildered trio. "I…I'm really sorry about all of this, miss. Houndoom just kind of…gets out of control every now and again. Um, are you hurt?"

He walked up to the dumbfounded group, pausing to study the shaken Umbreon still hanging low by his forepaws. Then he looked Sara right in her face, smiling warmly. "Hi, I'm Todd Nathans."

"Oh! Uh…" she finally muttered, blushing a bit from the attention, "…uh, hello…I'm, um…Sara. Sara Tolson."


End file.
